10 Day YOU Challenge | 9 Loves

Day two of the YOU challenge brings me to my nine loves. There used to be a time when I used to be able to do things I love, but social commitments leave less room to be able to enjoy everything you love. So here goes...List of 9 things I have and will always continue to love :

1. Family: My family parents, siblings and in-laws have made me the person I am today. From all my happy moments to my most frightening times, they have been behind me all the time. I love them in spite of everything and most of all, I love the one person who has been a part of my life since last 3 years now. My Friend, My partner and my soul mate, My husband. I love you all a lot.

2. Dancing: Dance has always been something to take me to a different world and i know it sounds cliche, but dancing was something that used to make me a more confident person. I used to experience beauty when I used to dance. Music gives soul to my life. Foot tapping on the way to the gym, or on morning walks, I used to always have my hands swinging when I used to hear music on my ipod or radio.

3. Photography: This was a hobby I discovered when I created a new photoblog for myself. The travelling I used to do used to give me ample opportunities to explore and capture some of the unexplored sides of the city. Do check out some of the blogs on Memories are just a click away.

4. Movies / Plays: I am a complete movie buff. any kind of movie, any time, any place, no matter how tired I am, I can catch a show and still enjoy it. There used to be a time when I have seen every movie released in the theatre in every language I know, English, Hindi, Marathi...In every genre I know, Action, Fiction, Romance, Animation, etc.

5. Painting: I love to paint and draw freehand stuff. When time permits, I like to sit back with some paints and explore the different styles of painting and if possible go back to the techniques I learnt during my textile designing days. 

6. Long drives:... and I dont mean only in cars. Long drives could be any long destination drive in any mode of transport. Cars, Bikes, Rickshaws, and most used mode of transport lately...Bus. I like going around the city exploring the different sites of this fascinating place called Mumbai....Also giving me time to click some of the moments on the 3rd Love...Photography

7. Television: As a child and even now, T.V has been my way to escape from the reality called Life. I can sit and watch the Idiot box for hours together. This was one thing my dad always used to dislike and still tends to keep pointing it out to me, but I dont tend to listen anymore. :)

8. Samosa: I am not much of a junk food person, but Samosa is one thing I can trip upon any point of time. This love has come from the college canteen that used to serve this delicacy all day long and with lengthy hours of college with no option to bunk, samosas used to be the only break we used to get from the tedious routine.

9. Last but not the least... Singing. My mom used to say I had a good voice and she got me into the singing classes (which unfortunately don't fit in my schedule anymore). Singing for me, was always something I used to do for myself... No. I dont mean bathroom singing, but when I used to sit in my balcony listening to old songs on radio at night with noone but the company of moon and stars, I used to be able to forget any and every stress that I might be going through. *Sigh* those were the days.

So here are my nine loves. So long...See you again tomorrow, with my Eight Fears.

Adios, Ciao.

I want to dance...!!!

That's right, I want to dance.

U asking me "Why?" Do I need a reason? As a matter of fact, why should anyone need a reason to dance. I recently had a girl's party at a friend's house, and realised how much I love to dance.

Again you probably want to ask me the same question? "WHY?" Well, its 3:00 am in the morning, and we all are playing cards. Suddenly the computer manages to forget what time it is and plays the song "Pappu cant dance s**la"

People who know me, would know what happened next. People who are unaware of my sudden strokes of dancing...I suggest you leave it to your imagination. My friends told me when I was normal again, "We actually wanted to dance, but couldn't since You had occupied half of the space and we were afraid of getting 'hit and dance'...lol"

I have always been passionate about dancing, and unlike my sister who is a professional BharatNatyam dancer, I am more of salsa and quickstep kind of girl. So few days back when I was surfing facebook taking variety of quizzes (not one of which told me I am a good dancer, haha...) I saw the advertisement of Anand Majumdar's quickstep and salsa classes. Well, it hardly took me few minutes to pick up the phone and dial in and next day I was enrolled for their Bandra classes. (A small trailor of what I have got myself into...though I dont look half as graceful as the lady in the video, *wink*)

Its been 2 sessions so far and I absolutely love it and the way I feel when I am learning this form of dance. I just thought I would share it with everyone. Will upload some videos of my dancing talent real soon. In the mean time, I will leave you with a thought....Read On....

~Dance Like No One's Watching~

We convince ourselves that life will be better after we get married,have a baby, then another.

Then we are frustrated that the kids aren't old enough and we'll be more content when they are.

After that we're frustrated that we have teenagers to deal with,

we will certainly be happy when they are out of that stage.

We tell ourselves that our life will be complete when our spouse gets his or her act together,

when we get a nicer car, are able to go on a nice vacation, when we retire.

The truth is there's no better time to be happy than right now.

If not now, when?

Your life will always be filled with challenges.

It's best to admit this to yourself and decide to be happy anyway.

One of my favorite quotes comes from Alfred D Souza.

He said, "For a long time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin -real life.

But there was always some obstacle in the way,

something to be gotten through first,

some unfinished business, time still to be served,

a debt to be paid.

Then life would begin. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles WERE my life."

This perspective has helped me to see that there is no way to happiness.

Happiness IS the way, so, treasure every moment that you have.

And treasure it more because you shared it with someone special,

special enough to spend your time... and remember that time waits for no one.

So stop waiting until you finish school,

until you go back to school,

until you lose ten pounds,

until you gain ten pounds,

until you have kids,

until your kids leave the house,

until you start work,

until you retire,

until you get married,

until you get divorced,

until Friday night,

until Sunday morning,

until you get a new car or home,

until your car or home is paid off,

until spring, until summer,

until fall, until winter,

until you are off welfare,

until the first or fifteenth,

until your song comes on,

until you've had a drink,

until you've sobered up,

until you die,

until you are born again to decide that there is no better time than right now to be happy...

Happiness is a journey, not a destination.

So, Work like you don't need money. Love like you've never been hurt

....and Dance Like no one's watching.

So next time you want to do something in your life...Don't stop and think...Don't wait for the RIGHT time..Go for it!!!

Till Next time...Adios...