Greatly Missed, Fondly Remembered

I had a very loving and caring uncle who passed away four years back at the young age of 42.  It was a sudden, unexpected, and shocking death during his flight from India to Thailand, and the airlines had to make an emergency landing midway in another country altogether.  Traveling with him was my younger brother who was only 20 at the time along with my grandfather who was 72 years old.  Imagine their generation gap, imagine the young boy seeing his uncle choke to death, imagine the father seeing his youngest son die in his arms.  And all of this had happened just one week after my wedding.

On Festival, Fasting, and Food

I think I started fasting for Gangaur and Teej festivals since age 13.  Usually by then a lot of girls my age were told to start fasting to get a "good husband".  While young girls or older women kept their fast by eating once a day or at least having fruits, I used to not even drink water until I saw the moon (for Teej puja).  I think I did that all the way until my undergrad years.

Those Lemons in That Milk

In August 2011, just a few months after I had moved to US, I volunteered to bring a dessert to a pot luck dinner.  The dinner was held at someone's place who was hosting the Teej festival for people around the area, and was expecting about 90 adults and kids for the get-together.  The pot luck was a first for me, and without understanding the time and energy it would take to make something for 90 people on the day I would be fasting – I told them I would bring Ras Malai.  I was an idiot.  An over-confident idiot.

After I brought all the ingredients and was ready to make Ras Malai, I called a neighbor-friend over to help me out.  She was as newly married and as inexperienced in the kitchen as I, but we both were prepared to make Ras Malai.  At least about 90 pieces of Ras Malai to feed 90 people, also considering there would be couple of other desserts brought by two other volunteers.

what my blogging has done to my husband

When the blogging bug bit me two years back, it came with a baggage of boons and banes for both my husband and I.

While blogging made me cook more variety of dishes ... it spoiled Alok for choices, starting to think of himself as a king who would have a feast and enjoy watching TV, leaving the food right there in front of him.

April 2012

The Most Embarrassing Dinner I Hosted. EVER.

The Most Embarrassing Dinner I Hosted. EVER.

yes, it happens

This was on 20th July 2012, one year back.  I knew a week ahead that I would be hosting a dinner at home that Friday.  Of all the recipes I had tried, failed, and succeeded at in the last two years, I planned a menu days beforehand for the special evening.  Because a very special couple (Bhaiya-Bhabhi) and their two kids were going to come over for dinner for the first time at our place.  But my high expectations from that dinner failed.  You know one of those days when you are running late, only then you find all red signals on the way?  It felt the same.  Though in my case, everything I did seemed to 'run over' a red signal.

Trip to India: Experiences, Discoveries, Stories - My Diary

After I moved out of India to Thailand in 1997, a trip to India once every two years in our summer vacations was most looked forward to.  Despite having been in India for so long and so many times as I grew up, it was just in the last couple of years that I started observing more, understanding a little more, and realizing many things even more about the place and the people.

Of my three and a half month vacation to Asia recently, which was my first trip back home ever since I moved to US after marriage, I was at my in-laws' in India for two months from October to December 2012.  My visit was especially for my devar's (bro-in-law's) wedding. 

With my habit of writing a diary, as I went through each day, I used to record at least something from the day what I did, observed, heard, visited, felt, or learned. 

ginger for tea

Problem 1: I developed a habit and liking for Tea in my last trip to India ("chaska", as called in Hindi)
Problem 2: I am not comfortable driving in the new city without a GPS (ours was stolen)
Problem 3: My fussy, moody husband would neither go do grocery himself, nor take me

So we did not go do grocery for over two weeks in January.  Because the last time we went...
Alok: Man, I'm not going to come for grocery again for next few weeks.  Make sure you bought enough.
Me: You mad?  How am I going to extend the life of vegetables until then?

carrot situation

A Costco membership is known to be very economical for a large family (from eating to cleaning - purchase all items in bulk), or for one with children (diapers and organic produce at discounted prices), and for the meat eaters.  But our recently acquired Costco membership is turning out to be quite beneficial ... for a vegetarian family of ... just the two of us.

5 Things I Didn't Know Before I Moved to USA

5 Things I Didn't Know Before I Moved to USA

In retrospect at my one-year stay in the United States of America

Carousel near food court INSIDE an outlet mall!

In the initial days here in the US I compared everything–from places to prices–to what I was familiar with back home in Bangkok.  Every other weekend my husband took me shopping to the big stores and retail stores around, at times to shopping centers, and sometimes to Galleria and NorthPark, the upscale shopping malls in Dallas.  I realize I actually could have saved hundreds of the thousands of bucks I’ve splurged so far if I’d gone to the smaller off-price department stores instead like Ross, Marshalls, TJ Maxx, Burlington Coat Factory, Big Lots, and outlet stores or surplus warehouses for certain items.  I didn't know there was a lot of good stuff to shop at those off-price or discount stores.

Creative Title Ideas from a Techie Hubby?

You know how sometimes you need a second opinion on something, and you ask your husband for suggestions?

I have learned my lesson to never ask my techie-nerdy hubby for ideas again, at least in the creative field.  Like, ever.

My Non-Smartphone Calendar

“Don't say you don't have enough time.  You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur, Michelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein.” 

~  H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

Ending with that quote I had given a ‘time management’ presentation to my class back in university.  I have always been the organized kind of person, having my daily to-do lists, planning my day and the week; it’s a different question whether I finally get everything done or not.  But I liked having a schedule, however tentative it may be.  And if I didn’t find a certain kind of organizer, diary, or calendar of my choice – I made it.  I actually do that with anything – when I don’t find what I want, I make it if I can.  My calendar is one of them.

The Rat Stole My Plum! True Story.

Roaches, lizards, and rats were not uncommon visitors back home in India.  Even monkeys, cats, and sometimes tiny snakes.  I've either seen some of 'em back then or have at least heard stories.  But having one of those visitors in our apartment here in US was a surprise.  More of a shock, if I may admit.  Especially because we figured out several days later after it made its small home in our home.  We had been noticing the fruits being nibbled, but thought it was probably some insect, until one night ...

How Facebook Has Evolved - From Social Networking to Social Stalking

From what I've heard, in the initial years after Facebook launched in 2004, it was a university's prestige to have special access to Facebook for its students.  Then it became public.  Then it became a trend; the first thing you'd ask if someone was on Facebook, the next thing was to add them immediately.  Over the years the developers introduced several applications, improved privacy settings, launched advertisements and sponsorships, created Fan pages, added video-sharing and chat, connected and reconnected friends, families, and strangers around the world, and enhanced overall user experience.  Basically, Facebook became the only other thing (apart from women) having the power to attract people of all ages.

Make the most of your appetite and money at all-you-can-eat buffet!

I actually came up with this theory (yeah right!) when I had to dine alone one day.  Since I was eating alone, I wanted to make the most of my appetite and get more value for money at this all-you-can-eat buffet.  I came up with some ways that I can apply at the salad bar restaurants, such as Sweet Tomatoes, Souper Salad, Fresh Choice, or Sizzlers.  You may try these at other kinds of restaurants or buffets and see if it works!   Since I don't eat meat, this list is limited to vegetarians.

Overheard - Wives Discussing Husbands!

I was at this place where I overheard a group of 10 female friends discussing about their troubles, their marriage, their kids and husbands, and as you know women – they were talking about any and every other topic under the sun :-)  Out of the whole 5-hour entertaining conversation that I was a part of (as a silent spectator), I thought of writing about the one that interested me the most.  For now, I’m jotting as much as I can before I forget; more to be added as I recall.  Enjoy…

Rose: How many of you fought with your husband before you came here?(Everyone raises hand and nods)