30 before 30

This list thing is fun. I made one more list. :D 30 things I want to accomplish before I'm 30, not necessarily in that order though. That gives me a good 8 and a half years to do all these wildly all over the place things I want to do. (Oh, and earn enough money to be able to do them. Hmmm. :P)

1. Publish at least one (fun) book i.e. fiction and at least 5 research papers in scholarly journals
2. Attend a literature festival as something more than mere audience.
3. Edit a book that is not my own.
4. Learn a musical instrument. (hopefully one out of: tabla, violin or guitar.)
5. Learn a dance form. Well, at least a couple levels in a dance form. (I have been wanting to learn Kathak for the longest time possible!)
6. Finish my last level of learning French and go to France for some sort of short academic exchange or something.
7. Learn 2 or more languages out of Sanskrit, Urdu, Arabic, Japanese and Spanish.
8. Learn how to wear different types of saris. I only know 2 at the moment.
9. Learn how to cook traditional cuisines from at least 3 other cultures, whether they are Indian or any other cultures in the world.
10. Learn pottery.
11. Learn driving and own at least one car.
12. Learn the basics of good photography.
13. Learn how to make bhang and have it on one holi! :P
14. Write a script./ Direct a short film.
15. Develop my craft. (Yea, I know it's vague. That's the point. :P)
16. Take my stamp collection to at least 100,000 stamps.
17. Not lose touch of hand-written letters to e-mails and not lose touch of long written, loving e-mails to skype! ;)
18. Own at least 50,000 books of my own. (Yes, I sort-of have always wanted to have a mini-library of my own. :P)
19. Buy a diamond ring each for my parents.
20. Make the perfectly embroidered sari for my mum.
21. Knit the perfect sweater. (could be for anyone! :P)
22. Go on a bike trip with my dad. (I know he won't take me to Ladakh like he went for his awesome bike trip and I so want to. But well, any place else, where hopefully, it won't be as cold as it is in Ladakh, is fine with me.)
23. Visit New Zealand.
24. Visit the Harappan civilisation ruins and the Swat Valley in Pakistan.
25. Go sky-diving/ bungee-jumping.
26. Earn enough to be able to fly wherever Sun and Moon are on their 30th birthdays.
27. Teach at Xavier's. Even if it is only as a visiting faculty or filling in for someone.
28. Muster up enough courage to experiment with my hair at least once.
29. Become the favourite aunt. (Of course, Moon and S will have to help me here and have babies first so that I can spoil them! :P But well, they have 8 years, I know they'll do it! :P)
30. Lastly, fall in love with someone who is not a commitment phoebe, alcoholic, workaholic, nicotine/ sex/ substance addict, megalomaniac, religion/ cricket/ soccer fanatic, couch potato, sadomasochist, misogynist, MCP and generally anyone who falls in the super-undesirable category. Maybe get married to him. And NOT have children. (Don't laugh. It takes more work to NOT have children than it takes to have them. Apart, all the pressure and explanations you'll have to deal with every time you visit family would be insane. You'd even be willing to go through labour and 9 months plus 18 years of shit just to avoid that third degree!)

OK, now that I have a list, I need a plan that will help me cross things off list. Some are easily achievable. Some, I think can only be achieved if I rob a bank. But well, we'll see. :P For now, I think, getting back to my dissertation might be a good idea. ;)


Edited to add: S looked at this list and asked me (a very valid) question: What will you do when life happens and you don't have time to do all these things? Well, I realise some of these things are not exactly easy to achieve. But even if I finish 25 out of these, I think I'll be happy. All I can to do is try my level best and scratch things off the list. :)

An Open Letter

Dear Star,

Do you remember me, Star? Do you? I, your beloved Dissertation?!! Do you remember the good times we have had in the past? When you frequented library to read more about me in spite of having to do more reading, researching and writing about other modules and essays? When you made a commitment to love me more than any other of your academic interests for the longest period of time? Was all of that a lie, a joke for you?

Do you remember how happy both of us were when our relationship was approved by the various tutors. And do you remember, when we went to meet our supervisor, we both were so impressed by him, we both wanted to have babies with him? Do you remember how we laughed together at our silly fan-girly type behaviour once his awe had worn off and he was nothing more than a really good teacher and supervisor? Do you remember how both of us persevered and brought about my make-over so that I look fantastic and so that all the other supervisors and examiners like me enough to keep me in the privileged "Distinction Dissertations" section of the library?

Do you remember the absolutely brilliant time we had while working on the conference where both you and I were much appreciated and then our relationship was seen as something that was meant to be. Star, we were meant to be together! We are like made for each other! Why then, have you been behaving so aloof and cold in the last month or so? Why have you been neglecting me to the point that I feel unloved and unattractive? Is it something I've done? Does something about me not please you anymore? Or is there someone else? I mean, I've always put up with minor distractions and digressions of yours. Your little watching films now and then, facebooking, talking to friends and *gasp* I even put up with it when you gave more attention to your Bollywood module than me! But, in the last month, I've been feeling completely disconnected with you. We have had serious communication problems!

Please come back to me, Star! I didn't think anyone could love me as much as you do. Please don't do anything more that will make me seriously doubt it and regret our relationship. I know you've been chasing the popular culture and chick lit things for sometime now. Don't think I'm not aware of your secret little crush. But, think about it. We have one and a half weeks only left to be with each other and enjoy each other's company. Then, you can go back to your watching films, planning trips and even to the chick lit if you want (sniff.) But, please try to make these one and a half weeks worth it! Let's not part on any bitter note. Let's make more beautiful memories and cherish them forever. I don't want to be separated from you even for one second in the next week and a half!

Yours lovingly,
D.

PS: Star might be away for the next few days. If she posts anything new, be sure to remind her that she is doing so at the risk of neglecting me and eventually, may be, even losing me.

Confessions of the Shopaholic

I went shopping yesterday!!!!! :D

I shouldn't have. I have a dissertation to write. And money to save. But I was meeting Effy and Grace again yesterday. And last time too before Effy moved to The Big City. So, when Effy asked me to go shopping with her, I couldn't refuse, you know!! And I swear I wasn't going to shop. Honestly. But then we went into the shops and oh! Final Clearance before they re-stock their shelves with the new season items! All these awesome summer things on sale! And since I'm going back to Mumbai, I'll have plenty of occasions to wear them! ::trails off realising she is not making much of an impression trying to justify her shopping sprees::

Well, anyway then. Under your judging stares, I'll tell you all about the awesome things I bought! First and the best thing I bought, a black blazer jacket, which looks like it has been tailored to fit me! And feels like silk! You know, it like GLIDES with me! Where will I ever wear it, you ask me? Well, I know at the moment I have a shitty restaurant job and when I go back, I'm looking to work in the teaching sector. Where there is definitely no use or need for a blazer. But, it was only for 5 pounds. And it makes me feel all professional, independent woman. So, I'll figure out a way to wear it. Just cheer for it along with me! Oh, New Awesome Blazer Jacket, you rock! :D

Next, from the same store, I bought.......TA DA! Cute lingerie!!! This store has like the cheapest lingerie possible! And oh, so cute!!!! Yesterday, I got a satin one with polka dots, ribbon and lace. ::eyes shining:: What more do you want?!! Of course, it has been SO fucking long since anyone other than me actually saw me in my lingerie, I'm beginning to feel re-virginised. Hmph. Another worthless piece of way too much information about me that you probably don't care about: before I came to England, I used to wear very old-lady type, plain cotton black/ white lingerie. And here, whenever I used to go shopping with S, my Yankee, she'd always pick up cute lingerie and as a means of justification, have the oh-its-so-cute-and-cheap-why-not-buy-it? face. And well, I used to be all like, but I don't wear that kind of thing, what's the point? Now, of course, I don't remember when I jumped sides but I totally blame her for my switching sides AND becoming addicted to it. :P What's more, she says she is proud of it and takes full responsibility for my addiction! :P Hee. But yeah, as soon as I go home and my parents see this novelty in my laundry, my dad will subtly nudge my mum and point at it and then, my mum would come to me and ask me where did it come from andI'll have to patiently explain that it's not because of the influence of firangi pani or because I was getting any action (Hey, at least I wouldn't be lying THIS time around! :P) but because I like wearing it for myself blah di blah blah. Not that she would believe me but because it's an unpleasant and almost a taboo conversation to have, she'd give me grief over why did I waste money buying things I didn't need etc etc. Yes mother, I hear ya! :P

Anyhooooo, apart from that, I bought comfortable dhoti style harem pants and a kaftan-type black-and-white top, both of which look great on me! :D Yay, shopping! :D Oh, and then, I went to do some grocery shopping and repeatedly found myself in front of the chocolates section. I swear I had absolutely NO idea how I would reach there and ALWAYS pull my cart away into the vegetables and healthy snack option sections. But, somehow, SOMEHOW, I always ended up there. So, only, but ONLY to stop that jinx, I bought a packet of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups!!!!! :D :D :D Oh, S, being all American about it, says that the British PB cups are not the same. But what the heck, I don't care! :P I finished the whole packet the moment I reached home! ::makes orgasmic noises:: They were SO good, even the memory of it makes me weak in the knees! Who needs a man if a chocolate can do that to you, right?!! ;) :P

PS: I added the new music gadget to the blog. If it annoys anyone, please shout out and I'll remove it. If you like it and want some of your favourites to play sometime, I believe that can be arranged too! ;)