Here're some of my recent results. These tests do really fascinate me, but I don't always agree with 'em! :)
1. Arundhati, your holiday theme song is White Christmas
Looks like you might be the sentimentalist in the crowd. You, more than others, revel in the nostalgia of the season. Some may think it's a little bit sappy, but you can't help it if you feel all gushy at the first sight of snow, the scent of evergreens, or the first airing of It's a Wonderful Life.
You're one who picks up on traditions, and you probably like to pass them on, as well. That ornament over there, we bet it has a good story attached to it. Truth is, Santa himself probably couldn't spread as much Christmas spirit as you're capable of. While others are mired in materialism, you keep the holiday's true meaning closer to your heart. So keep on dreaming of a white Christmas with every Christmas card you write. May your days be merry and bright. And may all your Christmases be white.
(I love how I don't even know what It's a Wonderful Life is- and that I've never sent a Christmas card as of yet in the past eighteen years!)
2. Arundhati, your holiday wish is to Enjoy Time With Family and Friends
You'll be home for Christmas — that much is true. And while you love getting gifts and attending parties, the true meaning of the season for you is spending time with the people you love the most. While you may not be a total homebody, a caring soul like you can't wait to revel in the little details the season offers.
Whether you get a kick out of baking cookies with your favorite cousin or picking out a tree with the folks, you enjoy taking part in traditions and carrying them on. And whether you see it as sentimental or maybe a little sappy, it's as sweet as you are. So don't change a thing!
(haha. my parents would definitely have a big ROFL session if they saw that someone called me a 'homebody'!!)
3. Arundhati, your strongest sense is Right and Wrong
Doing things by the book. That's your style. Not one to rock the boat, you know that there is a time and a place for everything like how much to tip a server or when to keep your opinions to yourself. It's that keen awareness of right and wrong that helps you make a decision quickly and efficiently so you can move on to the next issue of the day.
Friends probably admire your ability to think on your feet and have confidence in your choices. And that's what makes you a good leader. So keep moving smoothly down the road of life. You're sure to go places!
(...And I took Science! 'nuf said.)
4. Arundhati, you'll make a difference when it comes to Dedication to Change
While other people sit around and wait for life to come to them, you put yourself out there and make it happen. After all, if you don't like the way things are, how do you expect anything to be different unless you do something about it?
Determined and dedicated, you're not afraid to go out on a limb and do what you can to make an impact. You realize change doesn't happen overnight, and you don't give up easily even when the going gets tough. That's what makes you such an inspiration. And it's also sure to make the world a better place. Bravo!
(Is it just a coincidence that my failing grades are the only things I can never manage to change?!)
5. Arundhati, your trademark tune is Kelly Clarkson's "Miss Independent"
Wild and crazy may not always be the way you go, but it's usually how you have the most fun. You don't have to follow the paved road since you'd probably rather forge your own trail anyway. Whether or not anyone can follow in your adventurous shoes is another matter.Miss independent, miss self-sufficient.
A free spirit like you goes your own way. We doubt you waste much time worrying what anyone else thinks. So whether you'll be happiest skydiving, joining the Peace Corps, or just shaking things up at home, we know you'll inspire others along the way. Now that's wild!
(Lol. Again, is it just a coincidence that the last few months of my life have been spent in dealing with petty high-school drama?!!)
7. Arundhati, you should splurge on A Romantic Date
A penny for your thoughts? Sounds about right. Whether or not you're flushed with the green stuff, you're always a romantic at heart. Some say love doesn't pay the bills, but you'd choose love over money any day. For you, it's the thought that counts, and spending time with your sweetie is what means most to you.
You tend to think about others before yourself and enjoy showering loved ones with gifts. From a sweet note gently tucked in their coat pocket to an extravagant weekend trip, you'd rather save your pennies to enjoy time with someone special. How romantic!
(Now now, if only that "someone" came along soon enough!)
8. Arundhati, your values help make you a Responsible Friend
Your giving and honest nature makes you the kind of person almost anyone would be proud to call a friend. As one who places a high value on your personal integrity, you seem to try to live by the ol' Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Because of this inclination, you're the type to insist on taking responsibility for your actions, even in difficult circumstances. You also appear to take conscious steps to honor your commitments to others.
(hmmmm....)
9. Arundhati, you're looking for a Best Friend
There are many different ways to look at relationships, but for you, finding a best friend, the one person you share everything with, is the most important. Some people focus more on the romantic image of a soul mate to last the span of time, but you probably prefer the reality of making the most of every moment of every day. And who better to live those moments with than someone who's true blue through and through?
The ideal match for you is probably someone who can anticipate the next word out of your mouth and who laughs at the punch line before you even tell it. Chances are it's important to you that they'd expand your circle of friends, introduce you to new places, faces, and experiences, too. Whether this relationship is here for the short- or the long- term, you're a take-it-as-it-comes kind of person, with few expectations or fairytales to live up to. You'd take your constant companion and trusted secret-keeper over a fairy princess or Prince Charming, any day. Whether you realize it or not, there's someone out there who feels the same way about you!
(This is just perfectly true! But what I want and what I end up with are often two different things...!)
10. Arundhati, your gift for gab is Laying On The Laughter!
Laughter really is the best medicine. For a friendly and funny soul like you, nothing opens up communication lines and lowers people's defenses like a hearty chuckle, sidesplitting guffaw, or shared snicker. Whether you're trying to defuse tense situations or liven up dull ones, humor always seems to lighten the mood and get people talking.
Whether your wit is revealed through goofy jokes, dark humor, edgy sarcasm, or sophisticated satire, your true gifts are showcased when you're making wisecracks. So bring on the slapstick, the irony, and the jests — eventually we'll all be laughing with you.
(Sarcasm is about the only thing I can really lay on! :P)
11. Arundhati, your IQ score is 125
The way you think about things makes you a Creative Theorist. This means you are a highly intelligent, complex person. You are able to process information of nearly every kind with ease, using both creativity and analysis to make sense of the world. Compared to others you also have a very rich imagination.
(Okaaay! Now will you explain why I just don't get Physics... and Chem... AND Math?!!)
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Monday, December 10, 2007
In the Bunk Bed...
When all the frenzy's died down,
And I get some time alone,
I think of what life would have been,
If you hadn't left home.
There in the bunk bed with me,
I know you'd understand,
When the rest of the world refused,
You'd be there to hold my hand.
There in the bunk bed with me,
We would together decipher life,
And find the courage to face the world,
Together- in good, and times of strife.
There in the bunk bed with me,
I knew I'd be myself.
It's because I trust myself to be more honest with you,
Than even with my own self.
There in the bunk bed with me,
The beds were two- but soul one,
The sorrows divided, the joys multiplied,
Our race against life was won.
Everything was such a dream,
And we were stradling the highs...
...But destiny is a cruel thing,
And it willed otherwise.
Now, the distances separate us,
And the unfortunate circumstances,
But I pray you'll be there to help me match step again,
With life, in its many dances.
Until then I will miss...
Those late-night cathartic masterpieces,
Those numerous assuring smiles,
Those laughs, those tears- so unapologetic,
Those giggles that could be heard for miles...
The world is kinda blurry now,
I search for sense somewhere,
And at the end of every disillusioning day,
I find myself wishing you were there...
There in the bunk bed with me,
A mere thought apart,
I close my eyes, reach out to your bed,
And feel you in my heart.
The bed next to me may be empty,
But your presence in my life will never,
Because a lot of who I am today is because of you,
And that'll be true forever...
And I get some time alone,
I think of what life would have been,
If you hadn't left home.
There in the bunk bed with me,
I know you'd understand,
When the rest of the world refused,
You'd be there to hold my hand.
There in the bunk bed with me,
We would together decipher life,
And find the courage to face the world,
Together- in good, and times of strife.
There in the bunk bed with me,
I knew I'd be myself.
It's because I trust myself to be more honest with you,
Than even with my own self.
There in the bunk bed with me,
The beds were two- but soul one,
The sorrows divided, the joys multiplied,
Our race against life was won.
Everything was such a dream,
And we were stradling the highs...
...But destiny is a cruel thing,
And it willed otherwise.
Now, the distances separate us,
And the unfortunate circumstances,
But I pray you'll be there to help me match step again,
With life, in its many dances.
Until then I will miss...
Those late-night cathartic masterpieces,
Those numerous assuring smiles,
Those laughs, those tears- so unapologetic,
Those giggles that could be heard for miles...
The world is kinda blurry now,
I search for sense somewhere,
And at the end of every disillusioning day,
I find myself wishing you were there...
There in the bunk bed with me,
A mere thought apart,
I close my eyes, reach out to your bed,
And feel you in my heart.
The bed next to me may be empty,
But your presence in my life will never,
Because a lot of who I am today is because of you,
And that'll be true forever...
Thursday, December 6, 2007
Haunting Questions
Sometimes at the end of a tiring day,
I feel the good and the bad, the happy and the sad,
Blurring into a single question:
What is the purpose of my life? Why am I here? Why now?
And suddenly, the recent drama,
the heartbreaks, the victories,
are reduced to miniscule moments.
I feel small, compared to the enormity of my task.
A mere tool for life to achieve its purpose.
Will I succeed? Will I fail?
Do I have it in me to carry the flame of humanity?
The numerous successors before me,
Seem to have left no clue.
It's still all opaque.
But there still seems like a cosmic conspiracy is forever brewing,
Like everything is staged.
Like somebody's forgotten to give me the script,
But everyone else is on perfect cue.
My biggest fear continues to be...
Will I go through life without even knowing the real purpose?
Or worse still...
Will I live my purpose without even knowing it?
Haunting questions, indeed!
I feel the good and the bad, the happy and the sad,
Blurring into a single question:
What is the purpose of my life? Why am I here? Why now?
And suddenly, the recent drama,
the heartbreaks, the victories,
are reduced to miniscule moments.
I feel small, compared to the enormity of my task.
A mere tool for life to achieve its purpose.
Will I succeed? Will I fail?
Do I have it in me to carry the flame of humanity?
The numerous successors before me,
Seem to have left no clue.
It's still all opaque.
But there still seems like a cosmic conspiracy is forever brewing,
Like everything is staged.
Like somebody's forgotten to give me the script,
But everyone else is on perfect cue.
My biggest fear continues to be...
Will I go through life without even knowing the real purpose?
Or worse still...
Will I live my purpose without even knowing it?
Haunting questions, indeed!
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Language- a Reflection of our Attitudes
In our house, we speak six languages. And more often than not, we speak a language that is a mix of a few, if not all of them. To us, its perfectly normal, but imagine the plight of the outsider! Even if they know half the languages, chances are they won’t understand the conversation. Now, imagine the confusion if this happened across the country- or worse- across the world!
Language today, I believe, is an honest reflection of our complacent attitudes. We like short-cuts, we don’t care a tuppence for perfection. We learn a language to communicate with those who speak it, but we rarely strive to know every bit of it. Our easy fall-back excuse is that Hinglish is hip, its cool. Just how universal it is, we don’t care! You don’t need to step out of India to realize that, just go a little south of this very peninsula, or into the heartlands of our country: the villages- and you’ll find lesser takers for your new-found ‘cool’ language.
Another favourite fact that people harp endlessly about is the inclusion of Hindi words into the English dictionary. Now, if you enter an English speaking country and start using those words and nobody understands, are they at fault for not having read every word in the English dictionary, or are you the stupid one for expecting them to?
According to me, there are few better ways of exercising one’s intellect than learning a new language. And there are few things more beautiful than listening to someone who has mastered a language speak. Today, there are so many things lost in translation. And the only cure is to know the different languages as well as we can. For different as they are, they- quite ironically- help in breaking all barriers!
Language today, I believe, is an honest reflection of our complacent attitudes. We like short-cuts, we don’t care a tuppence for perfection. We learn a language to communicate with those who speak it, but we rarely strive to know every bit of it. Our easy fall-back excuse is that Hinglish is hip, its cool. Just how universal it is, we don’t care! You don’t need to step out of India to realize that, just go a little south of this very peninsula, or into the heartlands of our country: the villages- and you’ll find lesser takers for your new-found ‘cool’ language.
Another favourite fact that people harp endlessly about is the inclusion of Hindi words into the English dictionary. Now, if you enter an English speaking country and start using those words and nobody understands, are they at fault for not having read every word in the English dictionary, or are you the stupid one for expecting them to?
According to me, there are few better ways of exercising one’s intellect than learning a new language. And there are few things more beautiful than listening to someone who has mastered a language speak. Today, there are so many things lost in translation. And the only cure is to know the different languages as well as we can. For different as they are, they- quite ironically- help in breaking all barriers!
A Myopic Epidemic!
A certain Richard Gere plants a kiss on an unsuspecting Shilpa Shetty and has a warrant issued against him for the oh-so-sacrilegious act; a designer-sari-clad Aishwarya gushes over hubby AB as he talks to the thousands of TV cameras in font; a look-at-me-I’m-not-dressed-as-a-police-inspector Jackie Shroff talks about… dabba-walas of Amchi Mumbai. “And oh yeah, we’re here only to spread awareness about AIDS- that deadly, deadly… (what is it again?!). And it’s not about us, it’s only about them- the poor victims. The whole world needs to hear their inspiring stories…” Right! When they get a break from your desperate publicity seeking stunts maybe?
Another World AIDS Day gone by with the same celebrity tamashas. What is the best way to get noticed if you don’t have any films lined up in the next few months? What’s the best way to make a place for yourself in the hearts of the public after a series of duds? What’s the best way to go from a nobody to a somebody? Go support AIDS! (Read: Go to a mega-glamorous function with half the media persons in the entire country present, kiss a few kids, dance with a few of ‘em- since your last movie didn’t have an item number, and talk at length about how much better a place the world will be if we together eradicate AIDS)….Yeah I know. It sounds like a cynical rant, but it couldn’t be more true.
They did get a few facts right. AIDS is a dangerous, incurable, life-threatening disease that needs attention- because prevention is the only known cure to date. But what has made the celebrity support so nauseating is that it has made AIDS almost glamorous, and certainly sounding like the last disease left on earth! What happened to killer diseases like TB, Polio, Hepatitis, Malaria that plague India to this date, and to which we haven’t found any solutions either? Oh wait, they’re not so important coz half the world doesn’t even know about them! Right? Wrong! Listen to this: More people die of these four diseases in India, than the number that succumb to AIDS globally every year. And a lot of it is thanks to the age-old problem of lack of awareness. Maybe the celebrities need to take off their blinkers and take a look around.
To face the truth, the search for a cure to the deadly illness has come to a grinding halt. There are the condoms, and… what else? Stories of new contraceptives being invented grab a select few moments in the spotlight and disappear into oblivion. In contrast, diseases like Malaria, Hepatitis and TB can be cured if detected in time. Our fervent Polio Campaign has also taken not one, but several steps backward. We have over 720 cases of polio detected this year, a record enough to dislodge Nigeria- the earlier top ranker. And we complain we’re not the best at anything!
The only hope now is that these myopic celebrities get a new pair of spectacles- or take a back seat. They have the power to attract the crowds, only wish they would exercise some discretion, and some much needed sympathy.
Another World AIDS Day gone by with the same celebrity tamashas. What is the best way to get noticed if you don’t have any films lined up in the next few months? What’s the best way to make a place for yourself in the hearts of the public after a series of duds? What’s the best way to go from a nobody to a somebody? Go support AIDS! (Read: Go to a mega-glamorous function with half the media persons in the entire country present, kiss a few kids, dance with a few of ‘em- since your last movie didn’t have an item number, and talk at length about how much better a place the world will be if we together eradicate AIDS)….Yeah I know. It sounds like a cynical rant, but it couldn’t be more true.
They did get a few facts right. AIDS is a dangerous, incurable, life-threatening disease that needs attention- because prevention is the only known cure to date. But what has made the celebrity support so nauseating is that it has made AIDS almost glamorous, and certainly sounding like the last disease left on earth! What happened to killer diseases like TB, Polio, Hepatitis, Malaria that plague India to this date, and to which we haven’t found any solutions either? Oh wait, they’re not so important coz half the world doesn’t even know about them! Right? Wrong! Listen to this: More people die of these four diseases in India, than the number that succumb to AIDS globally every year. And a lot of it is thanks to the age-old problem of lack of awareness. Maybe the celebrities need to take off their blinkers and take a look around.
To face the truth, the search for a cure to the deadly illness has come to a grinding halt. There are the condoms, and… what else? Stories of new contraceptives being invented grab a select few moments in the spotlight and disappear into oblivion. In contrast, diseases like Malaria, Hepatitis and TB can be cured if detected in time. Our fervent Polio Campaign has also taken not one, but several steps backward. We have over 720 cases of polio detected this year, a record enough to dislodge Nigeria- the earlier top ranker. And we complain we’re not the best at anything!
The only hope now is that these myopic celebrities get a new pair of spectacles- or take a back seat. They have the power to attract the crowds, only wish they would exercise some discretion, and some much needed sympathy.
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