Yum!.. and other plans!

My cute sister fixed dinner yesterday night..
She just got up, stretched herself and said.. "how about some good healthy rolls for dinner?.."


"No problem.. would love them.. (Yum yum yum...)

I helped make the roti/roll.. whatever you choose to call them.. n they came out great.. really, Trust me! :)

Then came the yummy fillings..

Filling 1: An assotment of capsicum, carrot, cabbage and potatoes.. all cut lengthwise into thing strips, a load of fresh mushrooms ( I LOOOOOOVE MUSHROOMS!), cooked in an open skillet, with very little oil, chilli flakes, oregano and a pinch of salt and masala powder! ... My word!.. It was fantabulous!

Filling 2: Plain egg bhurgi.. But, who can beat egg bhurgi? (or shall I say, What can beat egg bhurji? ... If I love mushrooms, I die over eggs :)

Ate 2 fantabulous, delicious, hot, juicy, spicy and healthy rolls. Completed two big scoops of yummy sweet curd...
aahhh!....Bliss!.. watched Paa movie for a while..

Oh about the plans part, as much as I hate to admit, I know dad is right.. My current goal for the next 2 months.. Save 10K as a part of Emergency fund.. No, Emergency Fund is not same as Savings! :)

Blog Redesign!

Ok, time to go to bed!

It took some solid work to re-design my blog.. I never knew I could be this picky about a background (What's gonna happen when I have to pick wall paints for my own house!!??.. I'll leave it my housekeeper..uh.. that is, I hope I can afford one! :-P)..

So, to pick the background for my blog, (my baby, my dairy, my alter ego..) did lots of Googling.. lots of editing pictures, uploaded them to tinypic.com, applied the changes, adjusted the widths & heights,  re-adusted them!..finally saved templates.. uff!

But the results look... let's say, OK for today?.. More work, more cute things to come.. I want to add all my addictions, my idiosyncrasies, my favorites, my beliefs to my blog, through all sorts banners & buttons in crazy colors, sizes and shapes... WOOO HOOO... It's exciting to even think!!!...

Can't wait to hear some comments on how it looks!... too girly?.. too nature-themed?..  not a match for somebody who writes about investments, books n movie reviews? .. all-in-one kinda blog?  Everything under the Sun? Well.. what shall I say? ... my blog is "too Me"  :)

Savings, Investments, Emergency Funds, Retirement Plans

more or less, this is the phone conversation..

Dad: Honey, I generally don't like to involve in your finances. But do you have an emergency fund?


Me: Yeah dad!.. I've got savings! Dont worry.. everything is good!  (uh.. actually not so great, I'm not saving as much as I should, I blew a bomb of money on an overseas trip, and on lot on high heels and clothes... But you need not know that dad!!..)

Dad: I did not ask if you have savings. I asked if you have an emergency fund.

Me: Yeah, yeah!, My savings cover my emergency fund too! (Let's not talk about this much.. talking will just blow my cover!)

Dad: hmm.. I think I failed at giving the proper financial education when you were kid. But, why do I get the feeling I already told you all about Savings and Emergency funds?

Me: Dad! of course I know the difference between bloody Savings and Emergency Funds! (Goddamn it!.. Man!, you are killing me!..) Savings is for those new electronics, another planned vacation, and a car. Emergency fund is for the time I fall sick, I get fired, or unexpected stuff! God! of course I know it.

Dad: Oh! So,the failure was in the implementation part.. Okay? I should've been more strict with you.

Me: Where is my mom! I want to talk to mom! Do you drive her crazy like this too .. ( God! I sound like a sissy!.. Did I just ask for my mom?!.. A hard mental kick in my butt!)

Dad: Another thing! I totally understand one of these days your going to be one of the greatest entreprenuers, young turk or whatever. But, your 25 now, It's time to have a retirement plan. Ofcourse If you were going to marry, I would have insisted on a Insurance plan too! But, that's not for you honey! I know!

Me: Okay Bye Dad! This conversation is bloody over!!


Breathe slow and deep.. bang the door.. no! Lock it!.. go for a walk..
Whatever!... What is in fridge? No more Chocolate!...
I hate my life!.. Watch TV? I hate the TV!!!!
Ok, get out of the house!... now!
Goddamn it! I bloody know you are right dude! But try living in this crazy stupid city!

I pick up the book -The art of war for women.. I need to find my chi..  Savings! Emergency Funds! Retirement plans! Mutual Funds! Insurance! Insurance?.. really?! and I want to invest too!... God, please kill me now!

Val day / V Day / Pink Day / Puppy Love Day/ Just another work day/ Monday Blues Day?

What did I do yest?...  woke up late on a Monday morning.. made it to office by 11am (yep.. that late.. but, makes sense if I work until 9:00 pm in the evening.. right?)

So, never been big on V-day.. actually looked down upon it as a "puppy-love day" during college.. Now, it's more of an amused, indifferent spectator..

But, thankfully there wasn't much drama around this time.. I guess it's inevitable if it's a monday morning in a workaholic-filled Software office, with enough secure areas that you can't carry your Blackberry to your desk.. Thank God for that!

So.. end of day:

A: Hey, what do you want to do?

B: Don't you think it's a little late.. I just want a quiet dinner at home.

A: Ok (shrugs)

B: Let's cook like a .. real family...

A: huh?.. Ok..

Call up C...

So A, B, C have a lovely dinner at home, where everyone did their part in cooking..
What more can you ask on valentines day ..a beautiful dinner, intelligent conversation and quiet laughs with two people you love dearly!... perfect!!..

Weekend activities

Watched "The King's Speech" last week and it was GREAT! loved it..
Another movie which surprised me.. "Easy A" .. a new teenager on the block and boy!.. can she act?.. Hell yeah..

Need to watch the "The Black Swan" and "Saat Khoon Maaf" this week.

I started investing in stocks.. and believe it or not.. Sivani Ari is actually saving money...
Saving.. This alien concept until now.. I'm embracing it with all my energy and passion.. The 2011 vision is to invest, invest and invest more..

Oh btw, I can confidently say I cook now... uh.. only haven't figured out how to use the salt and chilli powder effectively.. My mind doesn't allow me to put in enough of both these ingredients... the regular people who eat with me these days.. just add extra salt and chilli powder to the curries even without tasting!

So, whazz up?

Hey,

I know it's been a while.. a long while infact..
My writing skills caught rust, and I'm trying to dust them off.. Let's see..

So, let's skip the usual apologies ... I'm sorry for not posting, I've been busy... uh.. you know the drill! .. Let's skip the drama!

What's happening... I took an overseas vacation last August .. yep.. Last August and I haven't talked about it at all..
I got a promotion Last November...
My sister lost two pets... One actually died yesterday.. (I don't want any more pets in the house!!!!!)
I just moved next door, to a smaller place compared to my old one - as both my roomies moved out.. one found a better job in Chennai, one wants to live with her mother! (Yeah... I'm surprised too..)
I actually started cooking... I even started cooking for family and friends .. For once, my mom is impressed!
I lead a bigger team at office now! .. Not so great.. but, what the heck.. wanted to say it.. :)
Many other personal surprises... quite a few beautiful moments... let's leave it there..
And Yes.. I couldn't launch my business yet... It sucks!

Any change of my core ideas? - Not really
Don't want to get married.
Need an MBA, Want an MBA, Can't wait to be an MBA
Want to still learn two international languages.
Want to be an entreprenuer..