Mar 7, 2009

Playing Tag...

The tagging frenzy has finally caught up with me, courtesy Goofy Mumma, forcing me to halt all activities on this blog. All right, GM, that was an exaggeration. And yes, I know I should have done this sooner. But really, what a way to start this chase!

GM asked me (and I thank her for it) to enlist 25 random facts about myself, including weird quirks and lofty dreams. Here I am, rediscovering myself, introspecting and talking aloud. Much as I tried, I couldn't come up with anything cynical/hypercritical (like me on "The XX Factor") or preachy/patronising (like me on "Hate, Actually")! Nevertheless, here's me described best by who else but ME!

1. I believe it takes one person to show the world how change can happen. One person, really. And nothing better than that one person being me.

2. I believe in the power of love, which I think can do miracles when nothing seems to work. I believe a child's love is the best and the purest - it is unconditional. I love babies and children for that very reason. I also believe in the power of positive touch - a pat, a hug, a kiss, a caress, a handshake. I believe a touch can communicate much more than words, and equal if not more than eyes can.

3. I am a sentimental fool. I have preserved letters and greeting cards and non-perishable gifts from friends and family, even those I no longer talk to. I just can't throw them away. Ditto for my old/torn/damaged possessions - I feel such pain throwing or giving stuff I've used/owned away.

4. I am a gab, but I am a great listener as well. I love it when my friends share their problems with me. If I can't offer them help or support or advice, I simply listen to them; it does as much.

5. I sign off all my mails (except official or those to unknown people) with the word 'Cheers!'. And I have 350+ people in my 'Friends' list on Orkut - not all of them are friends now, though; they are classmates or coaching-class-mates or people I met through people. No strangers, though.

6. I have huge crushes on Hrithik Roshan, Arjun Rampal, John Abraham, Farhan Akhtar and Dhoni. And I call Dhoni as Mahi, not as MSD or whatever else he is called. If I were a man, I'd have the hots for Preity Zinta, Juhi Chawla, Priyanka Chopra and Bipasha Basu. My favourite directors are Satyajit Ray and Ingmar Bergman. My favourite musician is A R Rahman. My favourite lyricists are Gulzar, Javed Akhtar and Prasoon Joshi. My favorite films/ actors/ actresses/ books/ authors/ singers are too many to list here.

7. If I love someone truly, I love them with all I have. If I hate someone truly, I hate them with all I have. For all the others, I'm a pretty nice person to be with. I love making friends, and if I can, keeping them.

8. I believe friendship overrides all relationships - even those we call love. Friends bare their souls to each other, and know each other inside out.

9. The foundation of any relationship on this planet, trust is, without a doubt, the single most important element in any of my relationships. There are many relationships that are equally important to me, and I expect each of them to trust me with the others.

10. I believe no person can survive without respect for the self. That is the first step. If you don't respect yourself, you'll never respect anything or anyone.

11. I am fiercely protective of my personal space, and no one - I repeat, no one - can encroach over it.

12. I expect a lot of my friends, and sometimes get hurt in the process. I have taken to limiting myself to a very few chosen friends who are mirrors to my soul, and I to theirs. One of them I spent two memorable years of hostel life with, and he is like the elder bro I never had.

13. There are only two other people, apart from my Mom and Dad, who I can talk about anything and everything with. They are my best friends from school.

14. I am a reasonably good singer, though I think myself to be better than I actually am. I love to sing; it makes me happy and content. I sing both inside the bathroom and outside it. I can write and tell good stories, and have a reasonably good command over both the languages I know - Hindi and English. I love to act, and am a big drama queen when I want to be. I also nurture a secret ambition of being a teacher some day.

15. Music to me is my religion, my chicken-soup for the soul, my escape, my haven. Music is to me what God may be to you. I especially love classical and Sufi. My favorite bands include Indian Ocean and Mekaal Hasan Band (the most talented band ever from Pakistan). I revere classical music (Hindustani and Carnatic, vocal and instrumental), Sufi music and ghazals.

16. I am an atheist. I believe in no religion, though I respect others' right to believe in their respective faiths. I love listening to religious songs (bhajans, sufi music, carols) but they fail to arouse any reliious instincts in me; they are simply another beautiful form of music.

17. I abhor superstitions and the gender-bias inherent in each religion of the world. It simply makes me so mad. I hate religious fundamentalists and bigots to the core - they are the worst thing to ever happen to the world. All the world needs is rational thought and common sense. Is that too much to ask?

18. I cannot stand or accept discrimination or injustice of any kind. I hate it with my core. I see all people as humans, regardless of their gender or name or appearance or lifestyle or religion or nationality. We are the same race - homo sapiens.

19. It is essential for me to have fun in life, to laugh and smile without inhibition, to do what I love doing.

20. I have only cried in only three movies so far - Titanic, Taare Zameen Par and Matrubhoomi. One of my favorite films in recent times has been "Chak De India", especially for the dialogue "... agar ladkiyan kisi ko paida kar sakti hain, to wo kuch bhi kar sakti hain ..." Also, the only two books I ever wept (and even threw up) reading are both penned by Khaled Hosseini - The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns. I threw up when Laila has her Caesarean without anaesthetics.

21. I am a big fan of the Harry Potter books and Robin Cook. I own the entire respective series and have read them multiple times. I also love to read Enid Blyton, Roald Dahl, Charles Dickens and P G Wodehouse. I would want nothing more than Wonka's chocolate factory to be real, and me to be let loose in it. Ah, heaven!

22. I nurture a secret desire to travel to Pakistan and meet the people I share common roots and a common history with. I would wish to understand and end the hostility between us and them, seeing as we are essentially the same people.

23. I love to eat most things, especially salads and desserts of all kinds. Chocolate is a necessity. I hate to shop, especially for routine stuff. I even hate to shop for clothes or shoes or accesories, though I love having as many of them as I can. I love buying gifts for my closest friends and immediate family. I absolutely detest jewellery (esp. if gold) and make-up (except moisturiser and lip balm/gloss).

24. I value humility greatly, and abhor arrogance especially if it comes from someone not worthy of it. I hate hypocrisy and double standards with all my heart - there are very very few things I hate more than that.

25. Delhi and Noida are home to me, and I love them despite all the associated evils and issues.

Errr... 26. I can never love anyone more than my Mom-Dad and Bro, my kid(s) in future, and my bestest friends. No one. Can't say about my partner coz I haven't met him yet.

Whoa! I could have said so much more about myself, but my 25 points are over. I did try to fit in as much as I could, though, and one extra point too.

I now bequeath the said responsibility on to the following worthy souls (if someone else didn't already beat me to them):

Goofy Mumma (returning the favour), IHM, Solilo, Chandni, Roopie, RK, Mad Momma, Chikki, 1conoclast, Yaamyn, Rakesh, Usha, Monika, Indyeah, Tarun, Madhu, freespirit. Okay, maybe Prashant too, but I know all about him.

Happy tagging!

23 comments:

Indyeah said...

LOL@critical /hypercritical:D
and hey!you are not preachy/patronising
you write damn well girl here and on the other blog of yours..:)
Why else am I a follower?:D

''I believe it takes one person to show the world how change can happen. One person, really. And nothing better than that one person being me.'':))
yup it shows...keep doing what you are doing!it works:)


''I believe in the power of love, which I think can do miracles when nothing seems to work. I believe a child's love is the best and the purest - it is unconditional. I love babies and children for that very reason. I also believe in the power of positive touch - a pat, a hug, a kiss, a caress, a handshake. I believe a touch can communicate much more than words, and equal if not more than eyes can.''
arre my next post is on babies and kids:)and I soo believe you when you say that you love kids(keep this in mind k?when you read my next post..:D its aimed at my colleagues and some acquaintances )


awww...sentimental fool?:))me too Surbhi:)
have preserved every darn thing too:)understand what you mean:D

chatterbox and listener?:D
I see more of myself here:))

yes the cheers does pep up people doesnt it?kinda like Vishesh's smilies..:)

whoa!!@point no 6..lol!!so many and if you were a man hypothetical situation explained too!
:D
Surbhi:))darn cute to read..:)


and Mahi haan?;)

and all the gals?lol!you coveredquite a list there girl!:D
agree on Satyajit ray and Ingmar Bergman:)
geniuses!

that you love making friends is obvious..:)it shows in your comments and words:))

agree on friendship..:)for now..:)coz have no idea of 'true love'yet..just infatuations:D
*sigh*
:D

yeah religion is the root of all evil ..common sense is in short supply in this world...no matter what our beliefs why cant we just try to get along?


music is life and blood for me too:)

agree completely on points no.20,24,25:))

this tag was really nice to read Surbhi..showed a new side of you..though about points no.1,16,17,18 are really obvious from your blogs..:)

(you seem to have written 17 again)the no,that is ,not the sentence..:)

though IHM and Goofy Mumma have tagged me already for this one..its a pleasure to take this tag from you too Surbhi:)

thank you so much:)
hopped over to your blog the moment I saw your comment:D

((hugs))
and thanks a lot:))
AMy god bless you and yours:)

Indyeah said...

err...a pretty longish comment didint realize while writing:D

Biju Mathews said...

Nicely done tag!

I came over from Indyeah's blog. You write really well. Keep blogging!

Surbhi said...

Indyeah:
Happy Women's Day! (((hugs)))
Long or not, that has to be the sweetest comment I've ever received. Thanks so much, dearie! It made my day!
Looks like we're pretty similar to each other. Are we Bollywood-style long-lost sisters or something? LOL...
(((hugs))) Would love to read your tag as well.

Surbhi said...

Biju:
Thanks a ton for joining in! And muchas gracias for the compliments! Keep visiting!

Indian Home Maker said...

Amazed at 1, 3, 4, 16, 17, 17, 18, 21 ...I feel the same way.
And I also believe we can do nothing if we don't believe it will work... so
'1. I believe it takes one person to show the world how change can happen. One person, really. And nothing better than that one person being me.' is a precious thought! Do go ahead and change the world. And every time you manage to free some minds from prejudice you have achieved so much....my warmest wishes!

And is it surprising you chose to blog about 'gender bias inherent in all religions'! I also hate hypocrisy and arrogance ...

I also like Roald Dahl he is amazingly sensitive and simply brilliant. Love everything he has written.

Most of what I have read here, I already knew about you, your love for music [Masak Ali... and the comment section :)], hatred for prejudice - all your posts, and atheism - seeing through hypocrisy in all faiths ... but now I know you are sentimental also and a trusting, sentimental, loving friend :)

About trust ... it has to be earned. Our friends should deserve and respect our trust.

I can go on and on, it has become such a long comment! Loved reading this open, warm tag ...
Warmest wishes, IHM

Anonymous said...

Hey Surbhi, I guess everyonés done this tag now. It's so much fun talking about yourself :)

Mine is here http://rakeshzone.blogspot.com/2009/02/25-revealing-statements-on-truth-serum.html

And your tag surely projects a confident but sentimental woman... Pretty contradictory projectiosn these...

One person to change the world? I guess I'm too cynical on that...

And singer eh? Btw, I just started The Kite Runner. Have heard so much about this book.

And loving future kids is ok but no committment about loving your partner? that was funny...

Had fun reading bout you Surbhi (Surbhi - hmmm, so now I know why music is religion)

Usha Pisharody said...

Indyeah has covered major points really well :)

I love the way you did the tag, and took us along a journey of discovery as well. Your writing does reflect your innate sense of the self, confident, and unflinching in the sense of rightness, and integrity!

Keep it up :)

Mine pales in comparison, but what the heck I had a great time doing it, and learnt a lot too :D

It's HERE

SD said...

Nice read. I can guess you are very sensitive from your blogs. :) Well done!

Surbhi said...

IHM:
:) Thanks. Your comment made me feel so warm and nice.
My best to you too.

Surbhi said...

Rakesh:
Thanks. Loved reading yours too.

Surbhi said...

Usha:
Thanks. Yours was amazing! Loved reading it. :)

Surbhi said...

Goofy Mumma:
All thanks to you for tagging me. Had a lot of fun doing this. :)

Anonymous said...

Surbhi,
As you know I was caught up in too many things for past couple of days. Now finally got time to blog hop. :)

I was tagged for the same by GM and couple of others.

Now I am going to read yours.

Surbhi said...

Solilo:
I know you were busy, esp. with Peanut's b'day party. How'd the li'l princess like it?
I'm waiting for you to read and comment. :)

Anonymous said...

Subbi, finally I read it. I have been meaning to for past couple of days.

I found so many similarities. No pasting all still

1. I love this point of yours. It also matches with the video I posted about a little boy trying to move that big log.

3. Me too. I have everything first of Peanut’s and also so many of my cards and letters and books and gifts.

6. Farhan Akhtar Yay! ;)

Totally with you on No.18. & 19. Me too at 22. I have couple of Pakistani friends and I always tell them that all the time.

Surbhi said...

Solilo:
Finally! Just when I was beginning to get mad at you! :)

Anonymous said...

hey...I did this a while ago :(

Anonymous said...

Sur, I did the tag:)

Surbhi said...

Chandni:
Oh no! Then I missed it, which is surprising since I literally 'chaato' your blog. Will get back to you once I read it.
(((hugs))) - some for the Boy. ;)

Surbhi said...

Solilo:
Yay! Thanks so much. (((hugs)))

Anonymous said...

like chandu, i've done it too, sur!! :D long time back. :< thankoo though, luv.

Surbhi said...

Roopie:
Thanks girl! Love ya too! Will see you at your tag for comments! :)