Ten Day You Challenge: 1 Picture!

It took me an extra day to get to Day 10. Just when you think life can't throw you any curve balls, it does just that. And it's really odd that this "curve ball" happened to occur a day before I would have finished up my challenge. But such is life. I think there was a message behind it, which I haven't figured out just yet. But I will. Anyway, so Day 10 of the challenge is to put up a picture of myself. It got me thinking about myself. I'm hardly your atypical normal girl. I'm bipolar, filmy, a dramebaaz, nautanki, talk to much, like nearly everything but hate just as many things, get angry far too quickly, love passionately as I detest and so on. I actually sound supremely complicated, na? Okay, really it's not like that. I just have a lot of shades, I guess.

Okay one picture... hmmm okay, I pick this one.

By the way, with this the Ten Day You Challenge also ends. Done!

Ten Day You Challenge: 2 Songs!

Two songs. While I thought this was going to be incredibly hard, it actually was really simple.

1) You are my Sunshine - My grandfather believed I was the most sunniest, brightest child. He called me his sunshine and always said I'd light up any room. Explains my name too, I guess. But it's the memory of sitting with my grandfather, singing this song loudly before he'd hug me and laugh.

2) Aye Zindagi Gale Laga Le - Life has not been a bed of roses. How I've come out smiling, happy and giddy is beyond my understanding. I think Aye Zindagi is exactly what I'd like to tell/have been telling the universe and life.

Oh last day tomorrow and my challenge will be complete! 

Ten Day You Challenge: 3 Films!

So basically, this is really hard for me. Ya'll know that naturally, all my favorite films are Hindi. But to choose THREE? Are you kidding me? Phir se suicide karne ka waqt aa gaya hai lagta hai. No, but seriously. How on earth can I choose three? Uhhh, yeah I'm gonna cheat...yet again.

Hindi Films - old, new, cheesy, lame, inspirational, social, parallel, comedies, tragedies, romance, apologetically stupid, completely idiotic and so on, I love em all. If it were possible, I'd prefer my life to be one big Bollywood film.

Foreign Films - I absolutely love a good foreign film. They really hold incredible substance and stories that really hit home.


Old Musicals - I very rarely find a Hollywood film amazing but I do love their old school musicals. Mary Poppins, The Sound of Music, Grease, Dirty Dancing, I could go on and on....

Ten Day You Challenge: 4 Books!

Yet another curve ball this challenge throws at me. Sigh. Four books? Isse acha hai mein suicide karlu! Okay, I’m done being a nautanki. So four books, it asked me to list. Here are they are:

Home (Manju Kapur) – Most people detest this book. I love it! A must read which really captures life in Delhi superbly.

Palace of Illusions (Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni) – Never has the Mahabharat seemed so amazing! This is the world of the Mahabharat through the eyes of Draupadi.

The Little Prince (Antoine de Saint-Exupéry) – This is actually a 1943 children’s book, believe it or not. However, you’re treated to lessons about love, life and human nature.

A Thousand Splendid Suns (Khaled Hosseini) – As an author, Hosseini is simply superb and while everyone swears by The Kite Runner, I am more of a fan of his second book. It just hits home in every way!

Ten Day You Challenge: 5 Foods!

I'm gonna slightly cheat here because it's unfair to name 5 of my favorite foods. C'mon how on earth do you expect me to name only FIVE? I live to eat. I wake up and plan my lunch and just before lunch, think about my evening chai by which time I crave for my dinner. So yeah, I cheated but only slightly. Instead of naming my favorite foods individually, here are some food "groups" that I lurveeee.Oh, and these are in no particular order.


Deserts - Desi, Chinese, Middle Eastern, American, I love 'em all!
Halwa Puri - It's my favorite comfort food in the world. And no, contrary to belief, I am not from Meerut.
Dim Sum - I grew up eating Dim Sum every Sunday. It's as good as home cooked food for me.
Sandwiches - There is nothing like a good yummy sandwich with extra cheese, mayo, mustard and some peppercinis.
Rasta Food - Hawker food is amazing no matter which part of the world you're in. That said, nothing beats rasta food in Bombay. Pani puris, sandwiches and a plate of pav bhaji. Ahhhhh, heaven!

Ten Day You Challenge: 6 Places!

Picking six out of millions of places I’d like to go was so damn tough. BUT I did it. In a way I’ve been lucky to have parents who love/loved to travel so we’ve been to some pretty awesome countries. That said, there are a few countries they managed to miss and of course, one in particular which I beyond love.

6) Spain – As a family we’ve been to Spain a few times but then Tomatino Festival baby!
5) Turkey – Something about the bazaars and gaalis of Istanbul makes it super exciting.
4) South Africa – Who doesn’t want to go to Sun City?
3) Australia – I love Koala Bears and Kangaroos!
2) Paris – Romance, Eiffel Tower and pastries…aur kya chahiye?
1) India – While I love Bombay, I still need to venture out and see the rest of my country.

Ten Day You Challenge: 7 Wants!

When I say I’m not like regular girls, I really do mean it. For starters, I have zero interest in material things.  I don’t need expensive bags and designer shoes. Buy me an ice cream dil se, and I’m happy girl. So when it came to writing down my seven wants, I knew immediately it was hardly going to be “things”. Here they are.

7) To travel the world!
6) To own my own home
5) To publish a book and become an acclaimed author
4) I want a Bollywood style love story and if you know me, you know I wouldn't want it any other way!
3) To always be happy, thankful, loved and surrounded by people I love/who love me
2) To be forgiven by those I have hurt
1) For my wish to come true...

Ten Day You Challenge: 8 Fears!

I actually feared writing about my fears. This tough-girl exterior, which I put up so well, is really a great facade. No one believes I could possibly fear anything, or anyone. But that is far from the truth. At the end of the day, I am just a normal, regular gal...who has fears. That said, I am hardly one who will let my fears get the better of me. So I have fears, I recognize them and chalte raho, hai na?

Mark Twain once said, "Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear." And I couldn't agree more.

8) Thunder - the sound freaks the crap outta me. It's so loud and angry!
7) Holes - I have Trypophobia. I see a bunch of holes and get goosebumps.
6) Losing my BB - It's my jaan. Enuff said.
5) People I've hurt won't/haven't forgiven me - Intentionally/unintentionally, I know I have and I pray to the Lord, they've realize I never meant to hurt them.
4) Disappointing my family by failing at my goals - They've been so supportive; I'd hate to disappoint him.
3) Losing people I love
2) God
1) Bad memories, past catching up with my future - Isn't this everyone's fear?

Ten Day You Challenge: 9 Loves!

Choosing just nine of a million things I love was super hard. But somehow I managed to narrow it down. I mean I had to get rid of food (which would have made it to number ten) and dancing too. Le sigh. Okay well, here are my top nine loves.

1) My family – we’re dysfunctional but we work so well!
2) My favorite – <insert smiley emoticon here>
3) My friends – more recently, I’ve found myself some of the most amazing dosts who are awesome!
4) India/being Indian – I pray to god that in every life, I’m born Indian.
5) Bollywood – it may have given me unreal expectations about men and romance, but it runs through my veins.
6) Writing – it took me years to finally succumb to my passion and now I wonder what else I would do besides writing.
7) My name – I love finding my name in songs.
8) Music – Whether I’m happy or sad, music is always around to make it better.
9) Myself – I love me! Mein apni  (aur sabki) favorite hoon.

Ten Day You Challenge: 10 Secrets!

Okay, while this is a challenge, this particular one defeats the purpose. The point of a secret is for it to be hidden and untold. So if I tell you, it wouldn't be a secret anymore. Duh.

10) Can't tell you
9)   Definitely can't tell you
8)   If I told you this one, I'd have to kill you
7)   Hell no!
6)   This one is way too embarrassing
5)   Shhhhhh
4)   Uh yeah, no way
3)   This secret makes me laugh
2)   Nope. Not even this one!
1)   This one is my deepest darkest secret. So no can do.

The Ten Day You Challenge!

Forget the fact that I like to challenge myself, but when I’m challenged, then you know it’s on. I was forwarded this email from a ‘friend’ (we’re actually rivals) who insisted that I take on ‘The 10 Day YOU Challenge.’ It’s really straightforward you see. Basically, over the next 10 days, I’ll have to divulge 10 secrets on day ten, 9 loves on day nine and so on, until day one. Sounds like fun, na? Now calm down, my life is not/has not been that exciting also but I’m sure you’ll find out a few things about me you never knew. So it begins tomorrow phir as I divulge 10 secrets about myself. I’m already thinking…