wild salad

The dreary mist surrounding my soul lifts leaving me to feel new; relieved.

The hours of contemplation left behind like dust under a horse's shoe; unwanted.

The joyous song that sings in my heart I wish for u to hear; amusing.

The right which evolved from wrong I thought again to be wrong, now does a turn turning out to be right after all; confusing!

Human

What makes us human?
That we can think?
That we can feel sorrow and pain?
Maybe that we can laugh?

No..
It’s cause we can love till our heart bleeds..
Till we can't give anymore of ourselves..
Till it hurts too much you can't breathe..
Till you've shed so many tears u can't cry anymore..

And that..that's what makes us human.

little matters of three/four weeks

I’ve been feeling completely lazy and I’m lagging behind in new posts. I’ve been busy too, to save my face! Well, nu Hmingi (mom’s best friend) and pa Will (her husband) came to Aizawl (my city) for a visit. We hardly get to see them with their living in the States. They stayed for a week...an incredibly busy yet awesome week :D

Look at the two of them all smiles at the top of Reiek Tlang or Mount Reiek (mom with glasses) :

And with dad & pa Will:

They got the Texas cowboy hat on dad’s head just for him...hmph! Yes yes, they live in Houston.

I really miss them right now…

After they left, a family relative passed away for whom a funeral had to be held. And followed immediately by my aunt’s family coming for a visit. They live in Lunglei which is another city. Their little daughter, Sarah, is shooo cute……*chuckles*

Aaaaaanyway, in the midst of all these, I got a lot going on in my own world too…like…ummm…reading books, helping my sis with her college application work, doing my own university application work, devouring more books, facebooking, cooking with mom and nu Hmingi (before she left), watching The Big Bang Theory marathon, catching the latest movies, more books, etc. So yeah, I had my hands full ~_~

Me getting comical in cowboy boots twice too large for my size :P

Alone

Today I discovered a beautiful place;
A stream merrily flowing with breezes plenty,
Grasses so green and flowers in bloom,
Water so fresh and warm sunny skies.
I immediately fell for such a place so lovely.
I thought of you imagined you with me-
I realised you weren’t by my side.
I so wished I could share that moment with you,
But you weren’t by my side.
So I stood alone, I was alone,
I was so alone.

jungle bells, jungle bells!

With Christmas just 'round the corner, I decided to sort out my music picking out the Christmas songs, renaming those required, putting them in separate folders, etc. There were so many songs!! It was monotonous and hard work to sort them all out.

While I was renaming the ‘Jingle Bells’ song, I accidentally typed ‘Jungle Bells’ and left them like that. I found out my error only the next day when I rechecked the files I’d finished.

This got me thinking. What would’ve happened if James Lord Pierpont (the composer of Jingle Bells), while writing down his composition and title, accidentally wrote ‘Jungle Bells’ like I did?? Haha! We’d be singing ‘Jungle bells, jungle bells, jungle all the way……….’ I know I’m letting my imagination go wild but hey, think about it, it would really be a laugh :D

So anyway, I’m very much looking forward to the holiday seasons. Winter is my favourite time of the year, though my hands can never get warm (probably lack of self-heating elements in my body!) And Christmas is so much fun with family; huddled together around a bonfire in our backyard with a roasting chicken slowly rotating on top of the flames…mmmmm…chilly weather but warm hearts :)

I nailed the quiz

I participated in this quiz conducted by K.T.P of our community. It stands for Kristian Thalai Pawl (in Mizo language) and they are a group of youths working and combining their respective resources for the betterment of the community in the name of Christ.

I have to admit I’m never very enthused to participate in any of the activities of the group although I ‘am’ a member. But then hey, they chose me to represent my group (i.e., Group B, out of 3 groups) and I went along with my designated quiz partner. The topic was GK (general knowledge). I wasn’t quite sure if I was up to it, but then again I did go through some thick books and scores of old newspapers during the past week, so I had a wee bit of confidence burning inside!

The event was last night. Like a shy person I am, I was a nervous wreck on the stage; my hands literally went all out cold! :) Brrr…scary moment it was. The competition went along and yes it was rather entertaining. Come to think of it, I was having fun which is ummmm…weird since I was so nervous at the start. We (my group) won, and I felt so proud to have done my co-members well. Received a lot of hand-shakes too, and ‘that’ was good! :D

PMS

You make me moody when
All I want to be is happy.
You make me depressed about life
And all that my future holds.
You take away every enthusiasm from my being
Every single drop of light.

You get me angry at my man when
All I want is to make him happy.
You make me scream at him while
I should be laughing with him.
You make me loathe his presence when
I should want him by my side always.

You swing my moods from happy
To blood boiling mad in seconds.
You bind my hands so that I can’t
Do anything about your affect on me.
You make me helpless which
Is the one thing I don’t want to be and despise.

You make me gloomy in my house when
I should be shrieking with joy that I could be home.
You make me stubborn and let
Me talk back to my mom.
You get me irritated at the smallest things
And it’s frustrating cause noone understands.

You take over my life my feelings
For I can’t control them while you reign.
You manipulate my emotions while
I wait patiently for you to hand me back the reins.
You then go back to your slumber for a month until
The time you traumatize me yet again.

At the Delhi CWG Opening Ceremony

I've been on the move so I couldn’t update my blog as much as I had wanted to. Sooo….this post is really late but ‘better late than never’ I suppose.



Went to the Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony with dad and my sister; great experience. Didn’t think our country could really pull it off and frankly I even questioned the act of India proposing to hold the Games in the first place (even crazier that it was granted!).

But then, as the ceremony proceeded, I slowly changed my perspective and ever so slightly became proud of being an Indian (which I never was. Period.) The decorations were beautifully done, diversity craftily presented, beliefs magically communicated. I could tell everyone, not only me, was impressed. I especially looove the big drums, well that might sound kinda kiddish but I do; they’re so huge and make such big ‘gong’ sounds :) And oh…the light shows were absolutely breath-taking! Seriously!



It was fun cheering on Sheila Dikshit (Chief Minister of Delhi), and APJ Abdul Kalam (former President of India), and even more fun booing Suresh Kalmadi :D (unpopular chairman of the Organising Committee for Delhi Commonwealth Games).

Was holding my breath when the Indian contingents came into the stadium since I knew beforehand the Mizo traditional dress (Kawrchei & Puanchei) had been chosen to be worn by the girl who leads the team in. It’s a shame the subsequent Mizo Cheraw dance was not very conspicuous due to the large amount of people in the field at the same time, all dancing to the music.

We walked more than 3kms to the stadium, then back again (same distance). And by the end of the day, my feet were killing me…literally! I’m not exaggerating when I say my feet were swollen by the time we got back to the hotel, plus cramps the next day…whew.

I was interviewed by this reporter; I got really awkward hehe, but I think I got my point through :) Dad clicked this picture.



And now, I’m back to same old boring daily routine; so bland.
I’m searching for books which really interests me, to keep me occupied and enlightened. I’m currently devouring Barack Obama’s ‘Dreams from my Father’. Very very interesting but very very philosophical; slows down my reading pace :p

Dawn & Dusk

I'm about to go off to bed but before that, I just have to share this!

Ahem!! Of course 'I' clicked them! :P

(murky) DAWN

(fiery) DUSK

God's creations take the breath away, don't they? ^_^

Happy Birthday to Kim Chinzah

It was my birthday today, the 14th of September.

I loved every minute of it, right from 12am to 11:59pm.

I got so much love and sweet little wishes from my family and friends God has bless me with.

I got a dinner-out gift, 2 new shoes, a bamboo plant bonsai, and 2 cards where 1 was handmade by the giver himself.

I'm thankful to God for guiding me till now right from the day I opened my little mouth and cried for the first time.

The first thing that entered my mouth today was coffee, and so was the last thing :D ...coffeeholic!

I turned 22 which I kept reminding myself cause I tend to forget; I thought I was turning 23!!

My boyfriend is sweet as ever, even after 4 years. He reminds me I'm 22 over and again. And I remind him to lose weight!

I'm actually sleeping early tonight to commemorate my birthday. Plus of course to catch up on some zzzz's I've lost these past few nights cause of work.

I want to learn a new language, so I guess I'll get to that before my next birthday!

No birthday resolutions for me; I never follow through with them anyway. For example, it could be "I won't get mad again ever" and the next thing I know, I'll be mumb again and not talking in an "I'm angry so stay back" sort of way.

I want to travel the world and I will someday, after I've gone through my 22nd year I suppose :O

My sis and 2 brothers, they're suppose to get me gifts; I'll just assume there were unavoidable delays.

And now I'm digging a hole at the side of the road to set-up a milestone; my milestone to let me know I'm actually getting older and hopefully, wiser!

ubiquitous..not!

Call me cold.
Do I care?
Deep deep down I too have
A warm side.

Call me unbearable.
Does it matter?
As long as I care for
The person I love.

Call me strict.
Is that so horrendous?
Now I know I won’t spoil my
Unborn children.

Call me gullible.
Should I twitch?
For anyone is and will be
One point in their lives.

Call me androgynous.
Is that my cue for anger?
I’d rather be what you call me
Than a dumb bimbo.

Call me immature
Am I provoked?
I believe loosening up a bit would do
The uptight world a lot of good.

Call me unique
Hmmm?
I’d rather be one person braving
Rather than follow the common crowd.

Call me sarcastic
Oh really?
Well thank you my dear observer
Noted and more coming in.

Call me aloof
Aghast am I?
I do find peace in my own world
And it’s none of your business.

Call me critical
Whom, not Who.
Crticality and scepticism results to
Perfection which I do admire.

Call me anti-social
Should I be bothered?
I respect other’s personal business and space
And I very much appreciate people keep their noses to themselves.

work-out with mom and dad

I’ve always wanted to work-out, maybe everyday or possibly few times a week, but I’m also always too lazy to drag myself out either to the gym or the park. So when dad offered we go together, I grabbed the chance. So off we went: me, dad and mom. We go on weekdays, in the evenings.

The exercise feels great, and I feel super though not quite fit yet *chuckle* The adrenaline rush you get while running that last mile on the treadmill, lifting that dumbbell with all the strength you can muster, doing that 50^th sit-up without giving up, pushing the lever with all your might to lift that 100lbs weight, willing your legs to move that peddle on the bike...whew...adrenaline indeed!

Mom on the weight machines. She might look like she’s about to drop it but oh no, don’t underestimate her, she’s one tough cookie; lifted the weights just fine and dandy...hihi.

There’s dad on the abs-cruncher. Believe me, that thing is a cruel punisher; made my abs go all jelly cause of the strain and to top it off, I had awful cramps on our first day of work-out! :(

Mom and Dad together :)

And there’s me, running on the treadmill!! I was sweating loads, good thing mom didn’t take this shot up close hahah.

There you have it, hope you’re now inspired to get on off your couch, stash that big bag of chips, swear your unhealthy lifestyle away and hit the gym or the park if you’re a nature lover. But hey...I’m not saying I’ll do this forever or anything…it’s hard work you know :-/

A day-out with mom: Anthurium exhibit

Went out the other day with mom and we visited this really neat Anthurium Exhibition organised by Mizoram Anthurium Growers Association. Took some pictures and just wanted to share them :D

Beautiful and vibrant, aren’t they?

There's mom right there hihi...

miracles do happen

God works in mysterious ways indeed. Tonight, I went to church to attend a service where our church was visited by members of another church; it was a program for youths (ie, excluding Mom’s and Dad’s). I went not because I wanted to; my parents insisted that I go. I prayed beforehand as usual so that I could concentrate during the service and not dream like I always do. This prayer of mine I always perform, but never really worked. But tonight it did! I sat through the service without drifting away into my world of useless numbness.

Afterwards there was a fellowship filled with various items. There too I was amazed yet again; I was touched. The songs sung, the drama being played out, the solo performed…they were all so wonderful and most of all, praising.

It’s like I was redeemed..saved..rediscovered. Suddenly the world seemed bright for me again, and my God is the most beautiful of all, again. And I can honestly say that I love Him more than anyone or anything. Period.

I got home late. As soon as I stepped into the kitchen, I got a call from one of my friends. He sounded like he was breaking down. Then he told me he’s going to the gospel camp in his church. My reactions were mixed; I was happy for him yet surprised because I had never or almost never received such clear answers of my prayers from God this way (excluding previous events of tonight).

I wanted to listen to some gospel songs and checked my phone. Out of all the songs I’ve been piling into my phone’s memory I was very saddened to find I had none loaded. They were all rock, metal, various newbies trying to make it, oldies, etc., all kinds of genre/artiste you can think of. I immediately booted my computer and transferred the songs to my phone; it’s been so long since I’ve listened to them.

My boyfriend called up. I had so many things going on in my head I couldn’t talk at first. Then slowly I poured it out, he listened patiently. After I’ve stopped talking, he told me to pray a lot and I answered in a snappish way, “Of course I know that!” Yeah I know, I’m like that…but he understands :)

So many works of God in one night, I am awed. Now I pray that my friend comes out well from the camp and be a good person. And that I too won’t stray too far again.

cake-custard-jelly pudding

Lots of posts about cooking these days haha..

I had an opportunity to concoct another one of my witch’s brew *cackle cackle* Alryt ahemm…well, mom had a get-together with her old school buddies. So made this for them...I suppose they enjoyed it since they kept askin how I made it; lil great moment for lil o’ me *sigh*

The Eaters :D

Ingredients:

Cake base- Should be enough for making 2 layers

Custard powder- 2 tablespoons

Milk- ½(half) litre

Sugar- 2 tablespoons

Jelly mix- 1 packet(pick any flavor you want; I picked Raspberry)

Preparation:

1. Make the jelly first with hot water, and keep it aside to set, maybe in the freezer.
2. Put the custard powder in a bowl and mix it with ¼ of a cup of milk(milk taken from the half litre), stir it to make a paste.
3. Then boil the remaining milk with sugar and stir till it becomes hot.
4. Remove milk from heat, then add the custard paste.
5. Boil it again for about 2 or 3 minutes stirring it all the while so that the custard doesn’t stick to the bottom of the boiler. Remove from flame and keep aside.
6. Now take a pudding bowl with a deep base. Put the cake inside the dish in a thin layer and let it cover the whole base.
7. Pour half of the custard over the cake layer, and smoothen.
8. Put the bowl inside the freezer to set the custard. Wait for about 10 minutes.
9. Then add another thin layer of cake above the custard, but not too thin; it should cover the whole custard.
10. On top of the 2^nd layer of cake, pour the other half of the remaining custard and smoothen it again.
11. Repeat step no. 8
12. Now take out the jelly which would’ve set by now. With a fork, stir it so that it can flow a bit.
13. Pour the whole jelly on top of the 2^nd layer of custard and smoothen it.
14. Now keep the bowl in the freezer for about 3 to 4 hours, or maybe less if it has set.
15. After the jelly has set again, it’s ready to be served.
    
    
    

rice pudding

Today started off with my rising kinda late; mom woke me up just in time for breakfast. After breakfast, members of my family went out one by one to their respective workplaces. And me, I’m left at home to prepare for my IELTS! Studied all day, and by evening I was positively bored plus a headache was on its way.

So, to revive myself from my stupor, I decided to make/cook some dessert; I love making desserts the most of all dishes :D

Ingredients:

Rice- 4 tablespoons

Sugar- 1 or 2 tablespoons (to be added according to tolerance for sweet tastes, I don’t like too sweet a dish)

Ghee- 1 teaspoon

Milk- 4 cups

Nuts(to be crushed)-1 teaspoon each of Almonds and Cashews

Raisins(cut in small pieces)- 1 teaspoon

Elaichi(to be crushed)- ½(half) teaspoon

Preparation:

1. Soak the rice in water(room temperature) for 20 minutes.

2. Then fry the rice in ghee for about 5 minutes.

3. Add sugar and milk. Let it boil for a while till the milk comes down to half.

4. Add the nuts, raisins and elaichi. Let it boil for another 10 or 15 minutes.

5. It should be sticky, not gravy.

6. Add some more nuts(not crushed) for decoration (optional).

It can be served warm or cold. But personally, I liked it when I ate it while it’s warm :)

My new phone- Samsung I9000 Galaxy S

I just got my new phone today and its absolutely amazing!! I’m so psyched I can’t even keep my hands off of it. I had to pay a king’s ransom though *sigh* But heyy…no regrets.

It looks sleek, sexy, blah blah…and I don’t even have to talk about how powerful the phone is…but of course I will hehe.

The Swype keyboard is amazing! But it will have to take some practice to get used to. Even the normal keyboard offers great input; I personally find it easier to type than iPhones. Display- crisp and clear, thanks to the super Amoled display. Screen is quite huge; it brags a 4-inch. Built is slim (only 9.9mm), yet provides a firm grip. Very light with a weight of only 119g. Since this is my first Android phone, I have to get used to it, but it awes me already.

You know, I can’t just keep typing about all the different features and what not..it’ll be too long a post. And plus, I still have to play with it for a few more hours to get everything into my head; the phone’s loaded!

However, it’s a shame I can’t avail of all the features and cool apps it offers due to poor network in my home city- Aizawl. I can’t wait to get better reception once I get out of here.

Here’s few pics of the phone…I’m holding it :D

Nu Hming, if you’re reading this, do please tell me how your handling your iPhone 4 :) We can compare it when you come to India.

This post is dedicated to my friend Zaia, who introduced and very much inspired me to get this phone (he was obsessed with Galaxy S..geez), while my first intention was to get an iPhone. I owe you one :)

Oh and btw, Kima (of illusionaire) *wavin it under your nose* :p Anyhow, I wish you luck :)

fashion fun

I’m seriously tryin to write here…..*blank*…......blinkin down at my keyboard. Ummm alright, fashion comes to mind.

Let’s see, although I’m not a day-to-day follower of the latest trends, the juiciest shoes nor most gorgeous dresses, I very much appreciate looking good or knowing what trends are in. However I have this (bad) habit of absolutely ridiculing some random stranger I happen to meet who looks absolutely out-of-style :D Alryt alryt, that was plain rude of me but I couldn’t help it!

I was out shopping with my sister the other day scouting for ‘her’ tees, shoes, and what not. Was out the whole day searchin searchin and then bam! I found this gorgeous pair of heels; tanned. Fell head over heels for it and since I didn’t have ready cash in my purse, dashed to the nearest ATM lol…had a weird fun time tryin the shoe on and off and on again!

I really don’t mind if it’s in fashion or not but I like lookin stylish…look at Agyness Deyn, Victoria Beckham, Lily Cole, Daisy Lowe, Sienna Miller, Pixie Geldolf, Rachel Bilson, etc. etc. Doesn’t matter if it’s in or not, they look great in their own unique personal styles. The trick really is to add a dash of personal touch to make the look your own, maybe somethin that compliments your personality; I like adding androgynous touches to how I dress. I'm sure many will agree that it's important to own the look.

Fashion idols:

Victoria Beckham

Agyness Deyn

I’m goin out today. Chose a black skirt with glitter on the hem; high tight waist but flows out (not body huggin), white Mango shirt tucked in, blue pumps with a bit of glitter again (to take away the drab of B&W) which I got for a great bargain durin discount season lol, black Prada leather vintage book-bag, gold-plated Titan men’s watch, and my hair turned up :D Totally comfortable, smart, not over the top. Oh almost forgot, do put on a perfume you love; I decided on ‘CoCo Chanel’ today.

Maybe I’m more critical than I allow myself to admit, since my friends usually sought me out whenever they see someone (stranger, friend or foe) wearin somethin worthy of my scorn or praise. But hey, people need reality checks *evil grin*

I’ve got this one really close friend who knows how to dress herself the way she wants, and look awesome in whatever piece of clothing stuck to her torso. I love goin out with her. Then another one whose wardrobe I told her was very somber..we had a laugh :) Yesterday she told me she got an orange top, texted me jus to tell me that haha; m so proud of her..sniff..

And then…there’s my girl who prefers sparkles and glitters to every item of clothin/shoes she buys!! Oh I musn’t ever forget one fren who’s obsessed with high-end product; even his wallet is...umm..I dnt remember..some expensive stuff I recall.

Another who’s obsessed with vintage and rock! Whoa…m getting carried away. Stopping now...I don't like writing too long at one post, it gets boring.

Different pieces of clothing stuck together to make one close ‘quilt’ of frenship. They’ll know I'm talkin bout them when they read this :D (though I didn’t mention all..sowiee!)

bread pudding

I love desserts! Sometimes I wish full-course dinner meals would start from desserts then work its way backwards. Delicious, sweet, sinful.

Here, just one recipe (for now) to indulge you, all you sweet-tooths out there...

Bread slice- 4 nos
Milk- 1 cup
Eggs- 1 no
Sugar- 1 tablespoon
Essence(vanilla)- 1 or 2 drops (optional)
Cherries, raisins, cashews, for decoration (optional)

Steps:
Cut out the crust of the bread slices. Then butter them up. You can cut them into triangles if you want.

Put them in an oven dish (grease it beforehand). Add the decorations if you're using them.

Mix the eggs, milk, essence and sugar. Then pour the mixture over the bread slices. Soak for about 5-10 minutes.

Put it into the oven and let it bake till slightly brown.

Serve warm. Enjoy :)

Yes, I made this!!

cooking an octopus

-->

With all the recent hype about Paul the "psychic octopus", I kinda thought it would be fun to try out cooking an octopus. I mean I've cooked chicken, beef, pork (though I don't eat pork), fish, prawns, etc., I've never tried my hand on octopuses. So...I printed out a recipe from net (Italian Stewed Octopus with White Wine) and got on about the business of turning a frozen octopus into an edible one.

On the whole, I had fun ewking and eeeking while cutting the tentacles. Especially when I defrosted it...brr gives me shivers. Came out yummy in the end :) and that's how it's done...whew!

hating goodbyes

Let it be known that I once knew a ninja. Not of the common sort of course. This one’s more of an unique kind. Maybe the label suits him cause unlike most people I’ve met, he’s sincerely devoted. Came out of the blue, and then disappeared again. Quite talented and I do admire people who actually fend for themselves. Period.

There aren't many whom I get along with, and I hate losing the few rare ones I stumble upon.

[World’s a cold place. Stone-hearted. Harsh. Pushing you to the limit. But strangely, we hold on to our feeble lives till our last breath.]

Today’s sunday and there’s the football World Cup final game tonight; Spain Vs Netherlands. Gonna be legendary! But I’m still brooding.

Makes me realise I really gotta learn how to say goodbyes. To be okay with it. To be casual about it. To strengthen my protection. My wall :)

PS- I'm gonna be positively embarrassed if and when he reads this.

hollow cave

so i sat down

thought i had everything

figured out

to the point of hilt

then it rolled

famed torturous wave

of utter

confusion chaos

from a day

till now i've been happy

never bored

why must i now fall out

the emotions

were they all so false

those i believed

were real, nurturing me

so i lay back

wishing i hadn't become a

loveless Hera

oh! do perceive my stoic torment

[I wrote this back when I was still in New Delhi (studying for grad). Posted it on my facebook page, so I'm just repeating it here...]

transition from writing to blogging

First off, I admit it’s been long since I told myself I’ll have a blog…all to my own! 2 years have passed, and I’m sorrier to admit what I’m about to declare right after this sentence. I never gave myself the time to write (something which I find immensely enjoyable). Wheww…n now it’s (my blog) here; in the making bit by bit, step by step, moving towards a milestone I hope.

‘Writing’ …hmmm I’m sure everyone enjoys a try once or twice, but gosh...quite hard to continue doing so sometimes, don’t you think? What with the amount of effort, ideas and TIME it demands!

I’ve been keepin a diary-cum-journal of sort since I was a kid (long before blogs came to being hehe). It gave me some ‘me-time’, a few minutes out of a totally unimaginable hectic day. That’s probably why I started enjoying putting my feelings and..ahem..opinions into words; not to speak but rather to be read. By me again of course; noone touches my black book. Beware!

I’ve been neglecting my diary a lot lately…poor poor old friend. Hopefully, typing will suffice me. Writing with pen/pencil gets tiring after a few pages.

You see, I’m not so good with elocutions. I’m sure a lot of people who knows me can vouch for that. But hey, what do I care…there’s always writing. So! Crossing my fingers and oh-so-hoping I’ll get better at this blogging thing :)