101 Ways To Be Happy!

I dedicate it to someone who gets my happiness... Maybe because he knows how easy it is to be that way! (He sent me the list.. or Happy mail as he called it.)

1. Smile.
2. Connect with nature.
3. Surround yourself with positive people in person or online.
4. Do something you’ve always enjoyed.
5. Do something you’ve never done before but have always wanted to try.
6. Learn something new.
7. Smell something that makes you happy: a mandarin, your lover’s perfume, chocolate, you decide.
8. Reward yourself for your good habits.
9. Eat something that makes you happy, but not too much if it’s fattening.
10. Spend time with a good friend.
11. Touch something that makes you happy: a cat, velvet, the bark of a tree? Take time to notice.
12. Don’t worry now, worry later.
13. Say, or sing, something that makes you happy.
14. Challenge yourself, I dare you.
15. Look at something that makes you happy.
16. Stop procrastinating, do something.
17. Take a small step towards your goal.
18. Congratulate yourself.
19. Tell someone you love them.
20. Do a good deed.
21. Face your fears.
22. Read a book you love.
23. Get outside.
24. Spend time with inspiring people or read about someone who inspires you.
25. Clear out your junk, literally.
26. Let go of negative memories.
27. Dwell on positive things from your past.
28. Be creative.
29. Dare yourself to do something.
30. Give someone an unexpected gift.
31. Change your habits just this once, do something unexpected.
32. Watch the sunset.
33. Get up for sunrise.
34. Open a savings account.
35. Be active.
36. Plan for success.
37. Eat something healthy.
38. Trust your instincts.
39. Follow your passion.
40. Throw a party, or plan to soon.
41. Avoid drama queens and energy suckers, you know who they are.
42. Write stuff down, keep a diary.
43. Set a goal.
44. Clean your house, bit by bit.
45. Say no.
46. Spend a day alone.
47. Devote a day to family.
48. Pick up the phone and call someone you haven’t spoken to for a while.
49. Wear your favourite outfit.
50. Be present.
51. Go for a bike ride.
52. Do something you loved as a kid that you haven’t done for years.
53. Forgive someone, especially yourself.
54. Go slow.
55. Have a meal somewhere different: try a picnic.
56. Avoid advertisements.
57. Pick a bunch of flowers and put them in your house.
58. Ban all media for the day.
59. Let something slide.
60. Display a colorful fruit bowl and eat one or two pieces a day.
61. Be romantic.
62. Play a game: uno, monopoly, chess, poker.
63. Make a smoothie.
64. Have a siesta.
65. Do something you’ve been putting off.
66. Dream big.
67. Start small.
68. Seek out supportive and like-minded people.
69. Understand that all things come to an end.
70. Feed the ducks.
71. Persevere: pick up something you gave up on.
72. Start a new habit, a good one.
73. Look at yourself in the mirror, pick what you like best and flaunt it.
74. Seek sensuous activities and enjoy them.
75. Look for funny things and have a laugh.
76. Rest up.
77. Change your routine.
78. Take a photo, look back at old ones.
79. Stretch your body.
80. Meditate.
81. Write a mantra.
82. Focus.
83. Don’t buy something, see if you miss it. Put the cash in a savings account instead.
84. Notice what makes you happy and use it in sad times.
85. Ignore people who annoy you, stop being with them.
86. Play hide and seek with some kids.
87. Put a picture of something you want on your wall.
88. Tell someone your dreams.
89. Love yourself.
90. Be grateful.
91. Visualise.
92. Unblock.
93. Use your brain: try a crossword or suduko.
94. Make a good choice.
95. Acknowledge your feelings.
96. Go on a journey, long or short.
97. Talk to someone you wouldn’t normally connect with.
98. Be grateful for life.
99. Write a poem.
100. Teach someone something you know well.
101. Choose to be happy every day.

Movie Time!

Okay, I admit it. This time, I loved it... Actually.

Sitting in my cousin's house in Amsterdam, it was my first step towards "education". I hated it. It seemed like a pansy, wimpy, impractical story with a bunch of talented actors thrown in together. Then came Tuesday.

I sat through it all. Laughed at the funny bits, almost shed a tear for Laura Linney's character, drooled at the sight of Hugh Grant, sang along with Dido, Joni Mitchell, Norah JOnes etc. and my ears couldn't get enough of that hot accent. All this while pigging out on a half melted bar of Dairy Milk. (sans the rum.. Rith, stop laughing). Oh, how I held onto every minute of it.

If you look for it, I've got a sneaking suspicion... love actually is all around.

:)

Kisses are a better fate than wisdom.

- E. E. Cummings

So Said Coach...

"What? Drama free? NO WAY!!! Niru, if your life turns drama free, what will the rest of us do for entertainment?"

I don't know how to react to this one!

DB, Chims, Pits - Picture perfect, isn't it?

A-ha!

It just struck me - Being jinxed has never made me this happy!! Pits, Chims, DB... we need to celebrate :)

We, people of our age, have our own stories. There is a bucket list that we talk about every time. We love the movie too. A cycle to die for. Leh in July. Big, big dreams! Tuesdays with Morrie, exchanging movies, music and books.

Someday we will meet again. Our coffee (under the trees) will be hot... just like the momos in the hut. The city we love will bear with our spontaneity and who knows which lane, park, bookshop, restaurant, mall we'll end up visiting, which fountain we'll end up running through. Or maybe just sit on a compound wall and talk about all that is dear to us. That day the weather will be *wheee*

There are very few people who can get me to part with chocolate. That bar of Snickers gave me a friendship for life.

Unwritten

Chims, this is for you to start your day on a high note :)

Thank You...

... For the music
... For clearing up the mess I make wherever I go
... For the Sunday fights
... For the extra warm hugs
... For making sure I don't sleep with my lenses on
... For keeping me away from Vodka
... For travelling all that distance just to spend time with me
... For talking to me about things I would have never heard of otherwise
... For protecting me and letting me feel safe around you
... For the advice
... For every good morning message and sudden bouts of affection.
... For being Mommy part II
... For being annoyingly adorable
... For not letting go
... For being honest, mischievous, mad and painfully practical
... For handling every mood swing
... For not judging me
... For just about everything

Love never exists without hate. Bono sang that song for us. I'm convinced.

It's Not About The Credit Card!

It begins with a massive hunt for a cassette. The blue cover with a guitar on it. It's our fourth tape. The last three ended in the most pitiable manner. I scan through all that is placed on the shelves. No luck. We seem to have misplaced it *sigh* The car ride won't be the same. But that doesn't mean that it won't be fun. As far as we are concerned, we really are the Sultans of Swing.

We stop at the mall. Our noses sniff out the food and soon we find ourselves chomping away. In between our sips of cola we talk about our lives, people, movies, the awful red food colouring and what not.

The same conversation flows at the dinner table. Only this time we entertain the mater and pater with all the happenings.They get it all. We, as a unit, are so content to be by ourselves, our music, our healthy food and bickering that even if the whole world knocked on our door, we wouldn't realise it. The world would have to wait for aeons before the laughter and madness die out.

It brings me a familiar kind of joy; A sense of completion. The childhood rivalry did not kill us. It just made us stronger... and closer. But!! I still think I sing Bohemian Rhapsody better than you do.

Ah! What the heck... let's just sing it together! Galileo, Galileo, Galileo - Figaro...Magnifico..

It Made My Day

"Unless you love yourself, you can't love anybody else.
Unless you open up your heart, you can't touch someone's heart."

Thank you, Nesara.

PMS to the end - All that is in between

If you are a guy, stop right here. What follows will never make sense to you. Watch the highlights of last night's match instead.

If you are a girl, I need all the TLC I can get.

So I am annoyed. I have no idea why but I am. I'm cranky, crabby and the next person I meet will have his/her head bitten off. Okay, I'll spare you if you are a girl. I don't want to bond with anyone except the 6 people in my house. I created a quiz on a stupid social networking site and deliberately made it a little difficult. Now it upsets me that nobody is scoring well! Over the weekend, I snapped at people, whined at least 376 times and failed miserably at trying to squeeze one little tear out. I broke a wall too. Yes, the kind buildings are made of. This one was tiny. The result wasn't. *Sigh*

I have this uncomfortable feeling inside; like "the calm before a storm" thing. I don't know what it's pointing at. Something's going to end. I feel like throwing up at the thought of food but I still want my mom's apple pie. There are a million voices in my head that talk about random things. Death. Love. Strawberries and Cream. Pink Sweater. Cheese sticks. Cameras. Glowing skin. Rainbows. AAAAARGH!! Stop it!!! I don't want to run away. I don't want to fly. I don't want to sit by the sea... for the simple fact that there isn't one that is close by. People are talking very loudly and coming in my way when I walk. Play the music. Volume 15. My left hand is bigger than my right hand. I sense a mood swing...

Only this makes me laugh like a maniac

Gigi: I would rather be like that, then be like you.

Alex: Excuse me? What's that supposed to mean?

Gigi: I may dissect each little thing and put myself out there so much but at least that means that I still care. Oh! You think you won because women are expendable to you. You may not get hurt or make an ass of yourself that way but you don't fall in love that way either. You have not won. You're alone. I may do a lot of stupid shit but I'm still a lot closer to love than you are.