100 Random Facts About Me

It is the last day of May 2018 and if you have noticed, I have blogged almost every day this month (except for 10^th May). I didn’t take up any challenge to post daily. The only reason for it was ‘being consistent and persistent’. Over few years, I have developed the habit of procrastination which has impacted grossly. It is not laziness but pushing things for later on.

Blogging every day slayed the habit of procrastination (to some limit). Though few of the blog posts I had already written and published on Instagram, none of the blog post was scheduled. I made an attempt to visit here every single day.

Saying that I want to bid adieu this month by sharing 100 random facts about me. Seriously! The thought of coming up with 100 was overwhelming.

Photo by Imani Clovis on Unsplash

Let me start with it! 100 Random Facts About Me

1. I love the month June (not because it’s my birthday month but there is something pleasant about it)
2. I will be turning 31 (I may not sound that old, though :P)
3. I may cannot have my own biological baby (It is not a random fact, it is THE FACT. I have acknowledged it. H has acknowledged it. It still pinches me whenever I stress on it. I can’t change it, can I? )
4. My favourite girl name is Aria, boy name is Arif.
5. Give me food and water, I can spend the entire day reading books.
6. I read contemporary, chick-lit genre more because they are my stress relievers.
7. Same goes for watching Netflix or Amazon Prime Video.
8. I love Abhay Deol. I am not crazy about meeting any actors but if I get a chance I would love to meet him. He is simply amazing. 
9. I have watched and still can watch the movie Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani n number of times. (Not the whole movie at a time, but my favourite scenes)
10. I watch movies or read books irrespective of the popular or unpopular reviews.
11. I prefer wearing Indian attire than western style.
12. I prefer online shopping (because my bargaining skills are way too bad)
13. I am a loyal customer of Amazon and Myntra.
14. I own books which I haven’t read yet.
15. There are stacks of books, set of pens, markers in my living room.
16. I am in love with the scented candles from Bath and Body works.
17. The walls of my home adore quotes.
18. I do not have OCD but I am bit obsessed about keeping things in order.
19. I go berserk when it comes to handbags.
20. For others, life span of footwear can be about 1 year, for me it is only 3 months (I have no idea why my footwear wears and tears so fast?)
21. I am addicted to Red Label Natural Care Tea. I NEED it once in morning that too made by me.
22. I am proficient in driving two-wheeler. I neither ride it hanging my legs at the sides or bring it to stop with my legs (as females are popular riding in this style).
23. I always carry needle& thread, spare paper napkins, safety pins, elastic bands in my handbag. You never know when they are in need while travelling in Mumbai.
24. I have slept (still can) for 12 hours when dead tired.
25. Give me all the money, I can pack my bags and travel around the world.
26. Traveling and exploring places is my oxygen.
27. Places visited till date: Kashir, Chandigarh, Kullu, Manali, Bangalore, Mysore, Ooty, Coorg, Agra, Varanasi. (Many more on the list!)
28. I am a nail polish addict. Seriously! Ask H. My favourite ones are from Stay Quirky.
29. I want to adopt a dog.
30. I have subscribed to many graphic designs, fonts, creative designs website.
31. Canva is my favourite tool for creating graphic design for all the posts on my blog and Instagram posts.
32. I cannot meditate.
33. My Micromax Canvas Tab and Asus Vivobook are my life (literally).
34. I have 3 music streaming apps on my mobile. Gaana, Saavn, Amazon prime music.
35. I keep all the mobile applications organized according to their functions. (Banking, social media, music, Journals, Online shopping, etc)
36. I have kept all the group notification OFF on WhatsApp.
37. I clear chat of all the groups without reading them.
38. Majority of my vanity drawer contains lip and eye products.
39. I am a true Gemini.
40. If I love you, I will love you till the end.
41. If you did something or insulted me irrespective of me being nice to you, I WILL HATE YOU TILL THE END  (Not that I am a saint, but I can't tolerate few individuals)
42. When shopping online: I think over the price more than 10 times before making final payment. I keep a wishlist of the items and when the prices goes down I hit Buy.
43. I am the most quirkiest person when I feel comfortable talking with you and you not judging me.
44. I can give anything to make the handful of people in my life to laugh.
45. I am a night owl. I can stay up late reading, writing, studying.
46. I do hit snooze button 5 times and wake up on H's alarm. LOL.
47. I brush teeth twice, morning and night (Yes, this is a fact as most people don't do it)
48. I love wearing a bindi and toe rings (ALWAYS!)
49. I am not active on Facebook. So if you message me on FB, probably I will see it a year later or never.
50. I listen same song on the loop whole day.
51. I never 'speak' the swear words but in my head I say the F word, A LOT!
52. I am not a believer that a married female MUST wear all the signs of her being married.
53. I am not an atheist but I have stopped burdening my creator with prayers & wishes for self.
54. I have started to put myself first.
55. I am a firm believer of 'Self-Love'.
56. I am the most hard working as well as most lazy person.
57. I have to have music or YouTube videos playing when I do chores and cooking.
58. I always make a To-Do list.
59. I carry a small diary in my purse.
60. I love color Black.
61. I subconsciously purchase clothes with green color or shade of green.
62. I listen to Malayalam and Tamil songs even though I do not understand the language.
63. I can't leave watching a movie unfinished or reading a book half. I have to reach till the end.
64. Maggi is my comfort food. No matter what the lab results were, I cannot stop eating it. There are way more poisonous things we take in than Maggi. 
65. I cannot sleep without cleaning the kitchen. I have to do the dishes. The unclean dishes haunt me.
66. I do not like any source of light while sleeping.
67. I have tore my one year journal diary into pieces.
68. I do not hesitate eating ice cream before bedtime until I get sugar in my blood.
69. I hate myself for suppressing anger.
70. I have regrets. Lots of them.
71. I rush to a salon as soon as my hair grows below my shoulder.
72. I have had tears rolling down reading The Choice by Nicholas Sparks (while traveling in train)
73. I keep stacks of HT Brunch till it take up the space. I discard them with heavy heart.
74. I love journaling and started writing in The Happiness Project One-Sentence Journal: A Five-Year Record at the end of the day from Jan 2018. 
75. You will ALWAYS find chocolates in my fridge.
76. I can read inspirational books only in audiobook format. 
77. I couldn't watch Game Of Thrones. Believe me I tried! Probably I would take a shot by reading the book.
78. My (physical) pain threshold is high. I have been poked and undergone number of fertility procedures. 
79. My Mantra of life: Stop being a mediocre. 
80. I did dress up in a 'nauvari' (a traditional Maharashtrian style attire) on wedding day which I had always wanted.
81. I still feel like I am a kid when I watch cartoons or kids channel.
82. I enact (voice-over) several of cartoon characters while watching them with my sibling. 
83. I loved playing video games while growing up. (Oh,yes I could drive the car or pull the trigger perfectly)
84. The only book I have re-read is Harry Potter and Prisoner of Azkaban (3 times)
85. I experiment making recipes from healthy food items. 
86. I prefer having fruit smoothies than the whole fruit.
87. I love being alone and prefer only certain people's company.
88. That said above, I do not dislike being in crowd because I like traveling in Mumbai local (I know!)
89. I have a habit of shutting off myself from social media.
90. I am a good listener and observer.
91. I want to at least travel once internationally for the dread of my passport remaining blank forever. LOL.
92. I had given up eating meat and egg for 2 years. 
93. I want to learn playing guitar, salsa dancing.
94. I don't like 'hmmm' in text messages.
95. I have learned to say No.
96. I want to organize events or own a restaurant or a cafe. 
97. I have a blog dedicated to my fertility. I might reveal it someday or never. 
98. I love watching movies on big screen.
99. I am obsessed with writing She and He Converstations.
100. I want to write till the last breath.

Did you find them interesting or quirky?

Good bye May - You had been a good writing month!

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

The Me That No One Knows

They like my smile
my laughter
The me when I am in light
You are the only one who embrace
my darker side

©Beyond Horizon

I Hate Everything About Love

I hate everything about love
I hate the roses
I hate the chocolates
I hate all the symbols of love

Love whacked me
Love destroyed me
Love brought the worst in me
Love instilled the ache within me
And I hate everything about love

I hate the love songs
I hate the intertwined fingers
I hate the promises
I hate everything that reminds me of love

But

I still cry reading a love novel
I sob silently over the heart broken poetry
I swoon over romantic movies
I write about Love and its beautiful

I can never say -

I am lucky to have you
You bring the best in me
I want to be with you till eternity

Because I hate everything about Love

Redefinition of Love

I found love in his eyes (cliché, but still)
I found love in all his imperfections
I found love in his possessiveness
I found love in his crazy avatar
I found love in his unsaid words
I found love in his heartfelt talks
and moreover
I found love in the distance that's keeping us apart

©Beyond Horizon

Dark world

There's a part of me hidden within me. It's like a dark world where I get chills by thinking about it and yet my thoughts wander at the edge of it every time.

Yaadein

उन्ही यादों को समेटलो जो दिल को सुकून दे, वो  नही जो दिल का चैन छीनले

©Beyond Horizon

Not Just A Reminder

Always Remember!

Live every moment

Laugh every day

Love Beyond Words...

You never know

When life will be taken away

Money does help in keeping you healthy

But money can never buy you a good health,  once lost

Comfort in Togetherness

They both had found comfort in the lack of expectation from each other.

That's love?!

©Beyond Horizon

Speak Your Heart Out!

Say it! Just Say it!

I know how difficult are those words to say but you ought to get them out. Do not let those thoughts rot inside the head. Bring those down from the head to the tongue and Speak.

What if they are the exact words the person is waiting to hear from you?

What worse could happen? They might say No.

Trust me, that No is far better than the regret of not saying it at all.

Try it!

©Beyond Horizon

Will I Ever Find Myself Between The Spaces Of Your Words

She: I'll always be jealous of her for one thing.

He: Why?

She: I know you really love me, but I shall never find myself in your written words. Not even in the spaces, because she is resting in peace through your words.

©Beyond Horizon

Aamhi Doghi – Marathi Movie

Watch the trailer of the movie first to get the essence of this post. It is not just a movie review.

“Yekda vatla na ki karun takaycha, mag nanter halhal vatat nahi.” (If you felt then you should do it, later on you shouldn’t keep thinking over it), this means “Have No regrets.” Savitri aka Savi (Priya Bapat) tells this to her step mom Amala (Mukta Barve) who she refuses to eat ice cone despite having the desire to eat it. We think over any matter thousand times before taking the action, sometimes we do not even act on it. Why? The one and only reason – fear. But the fear keeps lurking in our system and like a leech, regret sucks our peace.

Savi is a liberal, outspoken lady and Amala is the opposite. Savi doesn’t fear to speak her heart out. But this outspoken and straightforward personality is labelled as being arrogant. She is rude to her father who after her mother’s death, keeps himself busy working. He provides everything to Savi which can be brought by money. The only thing and the important one, he never gives her is his time.

Amala is shy but not timid. She is wise and makes an effort to understand Savi. She tries to build a bridge between the gap of Savi and her husband.

Savi is surrounded with maids, gets whatever she orders. The lack of attention from her father makes her stubborn. The scene where Savi informs him that she has got admission in a research center in Mumbai is heart wrenching. Because she snaps at him, how she has grown up without him never being around. How he was absent in every milestone she achieved and he wasn’t the one to educate her regarding puberty and contraception.

We do not realise while chasing money to have a better future that, no matter what, we as human beings need companionship, quality time with each other.

I loved Savi’s character – she gets what she aims for with her hard work. She too has flaws, after all no one’s perfect. When Ram (her lover) discusses about marriage, she mirrored my thoughts which I wrote about in the post – Happy Anniversary. She loved him but does not believe in the institution of marriage. Her explanation – because love is a personal thing between two people and marriage is a legal binding, as per my opinion these two are not related with each other. So I am not going to get married to show this society.

Our thoughts and personality blooms with upbringing and life experiences. Savi’s “arrogant” nature cannot hide her longing for someone to be with her. She encourages herself to talk with Amala (Ammi) and bonds with her. She is unaware about the reason her father married a female half of his age.

This movie paints every color of human personality with its characters. Though the movie was unnecessary long of about 2 hours which could have shortened. Despite this, all in all, a must watch movie. There is only one song (Konate Naatey) in the movie which beautifully depicts the bond between Savi and Ammi.

P.S. I simply loved the style of Priya Bapat in the movie. Her classy Indian attire with the bindi sparked her confidence.

Memories

She: We are making memories that shall hurt tomorrow.

He: We are making memories that shall be cherished tomorrow.

Image Source: Pexels

Book Review: The Hating Game by Sally Thorne

The Hating Game is a debut novel by Sally Thorne. Seriously?! How can she write so profoundly, keeping you hooked with all the expectations and amazement while reading ? Dear Sally, I love you. You have excellently defined the thin line of hate and love and how love exists under all the intricacies, always!

Publisher: Harper Collins Publishers (08/09/2016)

The Hating Game is an adult contemporary romance novel which revolves around the love-hate relationship of Lucy Hutton & Joshua Templeman. Man! I loved his character. They hate each other so much so that they could strangle. Though it is predictable they will ultimately fall in love. But it is just not about love, Sally Thorne has described the complexity of one’s personality and relationships.

Lucy is quirky, always joyful and everyone “likes” her but it’s because she comes across as a ‘people-pleaser’. Saying ‘No’ is difficult for her.

Joshua is uptight, with no smile, esoteric and a complete badass at workplace. Why is he so hard to please and employees are scared of him is a result of his life as a child and young adult.

Lucy and Joshua are busy with the Staring game at work, neither of them waving the white flag. Their love blooms in first few chapters. Confessing love doesn’t come easy for either Lucy or Joshua.

 

I had expected the office romance will come to a steamy end. But I was baffled the way the story goes on.

Lucy comes up close to the hard shelled Joshua and can see pleasant personality underneath his rebellious nature. Female readers will swoon over Joshua Templeman. He is a character you will find difficult not to fall for and wish for him to be true.

The highlight of the book for me is second half where Lucy uncovers the mystery behind Joshua’s sternness.

Sally Thorne portrays how expectations from parents can damage a child’s mind. “Fitting in” and carrying on family profession is not a hard fast rule. Joshua gets entangled in his father’s expectations and after being labelled as a ‘quitter’ wears an armour of disgust. With all this going on, Lucy hates him a little more and finally loves him more than the hate.

I will summarise this book as: Hilarious. Addictive. Incredible writing.

I can't help but share few of my favorite lines from the book:

Both love an hate are mirror versions of the same game - and you have to win. Why? Your heart and your ego. 

His smile is worth a thousand of anyone else's. I need a photograph. I need something to hold on to. I need this entire bizarre planet to stop spinning so I can freeze this moment in time. 

There's a little candlelight flicker in the vicinity of my heart. 

Photo by Crystal Shaw on Unsplash

She is Phoenix

She has an aura of glamour 
She can be stylish
She can be blunt 
She carries her silence 
Like an armour 
She isn't fragile 
Her words can shatter your soul
She can be kind 
She can be cruel
Yet she will love you
Till eternity 
Can you see the invisible wings? 
She can flap them to create a tornado 
Or wrap you in them to keep you safe
Make the mistake of caging her
She will break the bars
She is a free bird 
You burn her
She will rise as a Phoenix 
From her own ashes
Again, Forever... 

Copyright: Beyond Horizon

Photo by 小胖 车 on Unsplash

Words & Soul

Everyday I hunt for words as beautiful as your soul but all goes in vain.

©Beyond Horizon

I Still Miss You

And I still miss you
Like the crescent moon in the morning sky and
The one I can never have

©Beyond Horizon

Book Review: You're Never Weird On The Internet by Felicia Day

I finished reading Felicia Day’s memoir – ‘You’re NeverWeird on the Internet (Almost)’ without even knowing who Felicia Day is. Yes! I picked this book because it was much raved on Goodreads and the titled intrigued me.

Felicia Day comes from a family where ‘intelligence’ runs in their blood. Day with her satirical writing narrates her homeschooled life, being a geek and her college life, violin prodigy and raving about her perfect SAT score at age of 16.

I haven’t read many memoirs but this book crosses the “usual” style of writing a memoir. She makes you laugh and inspires you with her life experiences. Her nerdiness, making her stamp in online gaming community and reaching to Hollywood wasn’t easy.

The end feeling after reading her memoir will be, “I am not alone.” Felicia did not shy away her mental health problems. She brought her anxiety and the long depressive years of writing script for “The Guild” into light.

Felicia candidly explains how she was striving to outdo her own expectation which was set high after the success of the web series (The Guild). To read about the struggle to make first few episodes of the series is heartrending (filmed in garage, actors working for free).

Felicia tasted the success in the era of birth of YouTube and social media. She worked hard, way too hard for it and writes about how living a life online is difficult especially for a woman. She has dedicated an entire chapter ‘Gamer Gate’, an online harassment campaign against women in gaming world. She has included the hate notes, tweets from trolls in this chapter.

I dragged myself to continue reading the initial chapters but from the point she began writing about The Guild, the hard work to make it successful, drowning in self-doubt, friends alongside her throughout the dark phase of her life, made this book worth a read.

Felicia day embraces her being weird unapologetically by saying: My weirdness turned into my greatest strength in life. It’s why I’m who I am today...

Internet is a weird place: We want followers, likes, we fear FOMO, the feel-good feeling after many likes and comments but one negative spark can ruin life even though internet is not a place that we ‘live in’.

Take away from this book:

 “No matter what you feel is holding you back in life, you can attempt anything.

Music Doesn't Need Language

They may not understand each others language
They speak the language of love
Has anyone defined the language of love? 

Likewise music touches the soul despite the lyrics. It is magical, you might guess the essence of the song even though it is in the language you do not know. 

I request you to listen the song from the movie Ennu Ninte Moideen - Kaathirunnu Kaathirunnu. I am sure you would feel the emotions. If not, let me know!

Love Dies

You never betrayed me
I never turned my back
I could have ran
I could have resisted
I couldn't cry for help
I allowed you to stab
No one heard my silent cries
Like a withered flower
Love dies

I will keep your love within me

I will keep your love within me
Like this flickering candle light
The shadows dancing 
Are the silhouette of our souls
Love doesn't melt
With this weeping wax
Because we always lit a candle
in remembrance of the one we lost... 

Image source: Pexels

Don't Let Anyone Take You For Granted

I wore vulnerability on my sleeves
Everyone ripped it ruthlessly
Robbed my self-respect as if thieves
My soul blazed alarmingly
Not anymore! Not anymore!

Love is a Poison

She: We lost what we had since so many years.
He: What?
She: Our friendship.
He: How?
She: Love. Love shattered it. Love is devouring us. Love has opened the door for jealousy which friendship kept bolted. Love has instilled the poison of doubt. Love is slicing our flesh deliberately. Love has cursed us with a slow death.

-Beyond Horizon

George R.R. Martin — 'Love is poison. A sweet poison, yes, but it will kill you all the same.'

Photo by Tord Sollie on Unsplash

Love, Now and Forever

I will not let the ink to spell your name
My lips whisper it secretly
I get warmth from your distant flame
To love you now and forever
Unceasingly

Photo by Easton Oliver on Unsplash

Love, Forever

We are the faded stars in the morning sky

Kiss of darkness keeps our love alive

Everything dies in autumn

Our love won't be forgotten 

Photo by Debby Hudson on Unsplash

Coward

I am too selfish to set you free from the cage of my love,

and

I am too coward to leave this life and be with you.

Image source: Pexels

He Always Had To Say Goodbye

"Please let me stay for few more moments." She said hugging him.

As much as he wanted to leave he couldn't say No to her.

They unlocked from the embrace, neither have they restraint.

It was time for him to leave. He just kept laughing (as always).

She: I know how much pain you hide beneath your laugh.

He smiled. A smile she knew was only for her.

He left. 

She stayed with ever increasing love for her by him, as always!

Image Source: Unsplash

Happy Anniversary

Their glasses clinked as they celebrated 10 years of living together. They aren’t married. They aren’t childhood sweethearts. They met in their early 30’s.

She: What makes two people stay together for this long?

He: By staying away from marriage?

She: I have seen couples split despite of not being married.

He: True.

She: So why do you think the disputes begin when a relation is labelled as “married”?

He: Marriage bring obligations.

She: Doesn’t living together bring them too?

He: Yes, but have you noticed those obligations are not limited to two people? Most often they are obliged to stay together for the eyes of the society. Why should unhappy individuals live together? Just to show “there is nothing wrong”? I call such marriage, unhealthy. Unhealthy for the spouses. Unhealthy for their children. Unhealthy for anyone close to them.

I do not want to marry for the obligation of being married because this society accept the term “marriage” but is okay with “unhealthy relationship” which has no life in it.

She: We are happy together this way, then.

He: Yes, we are.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I came up with the above conversation post, after watching the Netflix rom-com movie – Happy Anniversary.

Image Source: Netflix

I am not at all advising you to watch this movie because:

1. It is slow paced
2. I watched it over the span of 5 days, watching approximately 20 minutes of the movie at a time.

I still completed the movie for its theme and I liked it.

It is the day of Sam and Molly's third anniversary. Sam has prepared the breakfast and comes in their room to wish Molly when she s bluntly announces that she’s not happy.

Honeynoon stage is over!

A guy will probably swear a lot after hearing this as Sam does. He wants to know despite being together for three years what went wrong.

Sam and Molly begin to remember their all “first times” and it will make you remember yours too. The movie narrates how minor hiccoughs in a relation turn into full blown fights. Love is not only about passion, hugs, kisses but it is also messy and bit of a struggle. Molly’s parents are the example of how marriage is imperfect but never a mistake.

You can never “always be happy” in love. One need not strive looking for perfection. 

We are still finding out the reason individuals putting off the marriage.

So does Sam and Molly end up in a relationship or end their relationship? Watch the movie to see the hassles between two people in love / were in love. (Be prepared to hear too many 'F' word)

Where Should I Look For You?

I don't look for you in the moon or the stars

I don't look for you in the morning dew or the horizon

I look for you in my silhouette, that's where I hold you

I look for you in the empty spaces between my fingers

I look for you in the empty pages for the unwritten words of our love

I look for you in all the incomplete puzzle that makes us complete 

Image source

Give Me One Reason For Not Loving You

There aren't any reasons for loving you

But give me one reason for not loving you

This distance, I hate

Living apart, Our fate

Sins and sorrows, Parcel of life

Missing and forgetting, Acceptance of Life

There weren't and isn't any reason for still loving you 

Just give me one reason for not loving you 

Is He Romantic?

Is he romantic?

Define ‘romantic’.

Does he bring flowers without any occasion?

No.

Does he surprise you with gifts?

No.

How many times does he say, “I Love You”?

Not every single day. Sometimes not even once a week or even months. I don’t even remember when he said last.

But you still are together. Doesn’t it hurt?

Why should it hurt?

Flowers, gifts, saying I love you are the symbols of love.

Do you know when ‘romantic’ used as a noun is defined as, “not practical and having a lot of ideas that are not related to real life.”? So when you talk about those “symbols of love” which are quite practical and real stands outside your definition of love.

I love him because he listens to me throughout my complaint even when it might be a rant. He speaks when I am done. He doesn’t label me, “you are wrong” but makes me understand how actually the situation is.

I love him because he acknowledges my silence when I don’t want to speak to him. I love him because he appreciates when I need a simple hug rather than any explanation. I love him because he lets me be who I am and doesn’t try to change me. I love him because he is the only one who holds me tight, and never lets the ego control us.

There are too many “because” over here but I love him for who he is. 

Photo by Thought Catalog on Unsplash