Monday, February 6, 2012

5 Things About Me

1. Lazy and Hard-working

I can be lazy to the extent that a jean top which needs to be hand-washed may lay there for 6 months in my bath closet and I am equally hard-working that i can read through out the night and just sleeping for 2 or 3 hours and still can handle exam in the mornings( I used to do like that in the college days).


2.Care and Ignorance
I care a lot about what others think about me . Like I become upset when someone has been talking so good to me and all of a sudden they ignore me. I ponder over days thinking "why didnt he smile at me when i said hi" ..Things like that..But then if I dont like someone,I totally stay away from them and try to completely avoid them in all possible ways.

3.Secrets
I maintain secrets like anything. If I decide that i should not share something with someone, then you could not get it from me till I go to the graveyard.

4.Like to be alone
I like to do things alone. I like to talk over the phone alone. I like to work alone.I like to browse the internet alone.I like to watch romantic,touching movies alone.I like to spend the entire day alone.I am not a person who says " I am depressed of staying alone". But I am not an introvert,because I still like to be happy.


5.Super-Excited and Super-Sad

I am either super -dooper happy or badly unhappy. Its like I am always in the extremes.And I cant take a thing at a very shallow level. I think deeply about everything and enjoy doing analysis and researching about anything on the globe. And I am addicted to list-making ,like the "to-do" list ,for every task i take up.



Friday, January 27, 2012

How to enjoy your break

I am in a break now and would like to enjoy as well as make some use of it.

So how does one make best use of Break - time ?

1.Finish with your pending doctor appointments,annual checkups - you dont want to ask for a permission or leave office early now.

2.Learn & Try some new good food recipes -probably from a different cuisine.

Try baking recipes like cake -making or any desserts.You may use this at a later time and attract people .

3.Develop any new good habit and get rid of any old lazy habits

I now developed a habit to make my beds before my bath  and comb my hair twice a day.Small ones ,but believe me they made me happy.

4.Focus on  gathering health facts

I am a health freak nowdays.I use my time now to know more about to have a healthy body .Like what to eat to stay young and finding a new food item which is good for health and exploring like soy .

5.Read some good books,blogs that you wanted to read for a long time .Pick a new genre which you havent tried before.

6.Watch informative Tv shows.

7.Watch good foreign movies.I usually pick the award -winning movies and try to watch them so that i don't end up getting exhausted watching a boring movie.

8.Get a massage or hair-do  or a facial .

9.Improve your spiritual side .We never find time to do offer anything to God,so,this is the best time to do the poojas and connecting with Him.

10.Work on your fitness

Spend time in gym or go walking or do yoga. A lot of basic yoga asanas are available in youtube.

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Top 10 Things I really like in US

1) Driving

Everyone follows the rule here.The Speed is great in the interstate(highways) .Its really cool to drive at
60 m/hr .
Though it is equally possible that accidents may happen at that speed, you dont have to worry whether a bicycle or autorickshaw or MTC bus  or even a buffalo will cross on your way.

2)Pollution-free environment
The water,air everything is clean and clear.

3)Safety at home
I think safety is much better if you live in a place that is really crowded by decent americans other than the african americans.

4) More time with friends
Yes, we can have potlucks with our friends(of course indian friends) whenever we want and it is more of spending time with them ,instead of hanging out at some places.In times like snow or winter, this is the only pasttime other than visiting malls.

5) Honest people
People are so honest here at work and i really love that.You dont have to bow to anyone and call them with titles such as "sir" or "madam" just because they are your boss.Everyone is  given equal respect.

6)30-day Return policy
I believe you can buy anything right from a bread to a mattress and return the same and you can get back your money(along with your taxes).The customer support is totally satisfiable and appealing to go back to them again and again.

7)The "Hi-Bye" policy
Americans wave a " hi" and "bye " to any stranger anywhere and sometimes that changes even a bad day and frowning face into a smiling and happy day.

8) Global food
We have all options to try out any type of cuisine ranging from Mexican,Italian,Thai,Vietnam,Japanese Sushi,Chinese,Mongolian and of course the American food too.I am a foodie and like exploring various type of cuisine.

9)The Hi-end technology
America is a land which is devloped technologically. With just the iphone in your hand, you dont need to prepare anything earlier for your holiday trips. I mean, the luxury of searching a nearby restaurant like tacobell,mcdy or coffeeshops like starbucks is at complete ease.The wi-fi ,the speed with the broadband , the GPS are things which really makes your life easier here.Every teashop or a cloth store has a website which is updated with recent information.

10)The Sale
I like the Thanksgiving and Christmas sales and of course the holidays and the carefree lousy work environment during the season.


Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Choose your CookingWare

I have been trying to get a good and quality cooking set for a long time.Even returned some online stuffs i bought ,because i didnt like the size of the pan in that and for similar reasons.
And yesterday, found a Dupont Teflon non-stick set of 7 pieces in Walmart for 20 $.
And i thought it was a pretty good deal since it had the saute pan and in the right size i wanted.

Now, as i was googling whether the dupont teflon had any health hazards,(because my mom and sister have always advised to avoid non-stick sets as much as possible) i found these following tips,
like to cook only in low-medium heat.Its a great tip for less-patient people like me,as i switch on the stove on mid-high.

 Now, here goes the tips you should take care of while using non-stick cookware:

·    Don’t overheat it! Its dangerous if it is heated above 600 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s easy to do if you put a pan on to heat and forget it.
·    Don’t use metal utensils. Even though non-stick coatings are much more durable now than 20 years ago, it’s still easy to damage the coating.
·    Don’t submerse hot cookware in cold water. That can also damage the coating because the temperature extremes destabilize the surface.
·    Replace cookware that’s scratched or flaking. That probably goes without saying. Cooking with Teflon is one thing; actually eating it is entirely different!


Alternatives to Teflon Cookware

·    Glass – This is best for bakeware, because it doesn’t conduct heat on the stovetop as well as some other materials.
·    Enamel – This is a good, non-reactive coating that’s relatively easy to clean. It’s worth the extra money to buy good quality, because the enamel coating will be thicker and more durable. Once the enamel gets chipped, the metal underneath will react with your food.
·    Anodized aluminum – This is a better choice than plain aluminum because it has a corrosion-resistant surface that isn’t reactive and cleans up easily. Careful with dings or scratches though; they expose the underlying aluminum and let it leach into your food.
·    Stainless steel – Good-quality stainless steel is the choice of many professional cooks. It’s very durable. I have some stainless steel saucepans that I’ve used for more than 25 years.
·    Cast iron – Properly cared for, cast iron cookware can acquire a coating that’s almost as non-stick as Teflon. It’s also durable, lasting not just decades, but generations.



Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Top 10 Things I miss about India/ Chennai

It has been almost 3 years now i am away from my homeland.India,in specific, Chennai.
There are lots of things I carve,yearn ,miss which are only there or rather can be best felt there.

1. Temples

I am a pious person and used to visit temples regularly ,like say,every weekend.
There used to be a small temple nearby our home and I can just walk in minutes and submit all my wish list to all  Gods in the milky way galaxy.

Though i have visited many temples here  in Cary,Pittsburgh,Atlanta,Tampa ,still its like planning a long trip .
Like i cant go and say a hi to Lord Ganesha whenever I am in the blues and when i need some tranquility.

2. Food

All those road-side bakery stalls,fast food shops selling samosa channa,bhel and the divine tasting mom-made food flavoured with care and affection.

Though this has made a positive impact on me to explore and enjoy cooking , i still miss all food back home.

3. Transport
I live in the south side of US and so public transport is real bad here.Not so many buses or rail to connect places inside city.Without driving,its hard to survive here.

4. Weather
I hate the extreme winter and the need of using a heater inside home to maintain the temperature and the need to wear a jerkin or sweater every time you step out of the house.

5.Shopping
You really need to get the right size and right fit .Sometimes very boring  with the same designs or same colors in the t-shirts or pants.You dont have the option of choosing between cotton bandhini salwar or tussar silk here.

6.Healthcare
If you happen to cut your finger and if the only option is to to visit a emergency care,you are screwed.Even the very serious conditions are only treated as a normal case.

Monday, January 23, 2012

My entry to the blogosphere

I am here for the third time in the blogosphere.The first with a food blog, the second one, more of a guide to newcomers both were  novice attempts.

Well, here comes another one attempt.

Thanks to all the people who inspired me a lot through their blogs and now, I am here!