the wonderful world of veena.

30 April 2014

16 of 52: my week of having the house to myself.

This week, while my parents visited my brother in Aruba, I enjoyed 6 days of having the house all to myself.

Don't get me wrong, I love my parents, and living with them is extremely easy - and free. Other than being so far from Midtown / Downtown Memphis activities - and generally not being in Bangalore - I have very few complaints about my current living situation.

With that being said, however, I sometimes crave having a space to myself. As much as I love being around people and going out for meals and drinks and sporting events, every now and then I need a few days almost entirely on my own to take care of myself and recharge my batteries. And I got just that when my parents went to visit my brother and left me in charge of the house.

While they were gone, I gave myself a little bit of a mini-vacation. I did a bit of work during the day, but for the most part I watched cricket and worked on jigsaw puzzles. I had a bit of human interaction, going to Dan's house for Easter Sunday dinner and making dinner at home on Monday night for Nathanial and Chad, but overall I enjoyed having the time - and the house - to myself. I went for a walk or run every day, I read my book, I wrote in my journal, I had full control of the television, and I very happily did not open my computer or check my phone for close to 24 hours at a time.

I'm glad to have my parents back, and it was great hearing about their eating adventures with my brother, but I definitely enjoyed those 6 days of being on my own. I don't know that I could ever live alone permanently, but to do it for a week every now and then is kind of fun.

other highlights included: got started on my #FNLrewatch2014 [5 episodes in and counting!]; Indian food night with Nathanial and Chat; new food adventures at Pho Saigon; had my volunteer orientation at the Mid-South Food Bank; got my teeth cleaned [I'm one of those people who loves it]; Shalini came to visit; lots and lots of wonderful Bangalore-style rain.

Wonder where I can send my parents on their next holiday so I can have the house to myself again...
xx

25 April 2014

15 of 52: the return of the ipl.

THE IPL IS BACK!

For me, the 8 weeks that the Indian Premier League is on are 8 of my favourite weeks in the year. A 20-over match every day for 2 months? My favourite players from all over the world playing together? Lots of runs and fours and sixes and close matches and wickets? Sign me up.

Ever since the inaugural edition of the tournament in 2008, I have been hooked. Having a team in Bangalore was so much fun, and I loved attending matches at my favourite Chinnaswamy Stadium or gathering with friends to watch them at Guzzlers and cheer our guys on. We weren't very good the first season - finished second-to-last in the points table - but we've turned it around since then and have even made the finals twice.

And I try my best to watch it even when I'm not in India. When I was in grad school in Little Rock, I would get up at stupid o'clock in the morning to stream a Bangalore or Chennai match [my buddy Dhoni-boy plays for Chennai, and I generally like their team, but not as much as Bangalore], and sometimes I would have a match on in a separate window during class so I could check on the score in between taking notes [but shhh, don't tell my professors :)].

This year one of the channels on Dish Network is actually airing the matches, so I can watch them on tv rather than on my laptop. And because the first half of the tournament is in the UAE due to India's ongoing elections, the matches aren't as early as they would be when airing from India. My sleep will be affected once the tournament moves back to India in early May, but such is the life of a cricket fan.

The IPL is certainly a spectacle, with the cheerleaders [still weird to me] and the fireworks and the DJs, but it is definitely a fun one, and these next 7 weeks are going to be wonderfully entertaining.

other highlights included: registered for some upcoming 5Ks in Memphis; dinner at Bhan Thai for the first time in probably 8 years; Grizzlies made the playoffs; house to myself; Easter Sunday Funday at Dan's house.

The only downside to the IPL? It coincides with the beginning of baseball and the NBA playoffs. Means my productivity goes into the negative. But I'm ok with that.
xx

19 April 2014

40 days of giving back, day forty: celebrate.

Happy last day of the 40 Days of Giving Back Challenge!

Today's task was to have a party and invite friends and neigbours alike over to my house. I'll be honest: I didn't do that. But that's because I'm having a small dinner party for a few friends at home on Monday night, so I took today to enjoy my first day home alone and have a little celebration for myself. Call me greedy.

My parents left this morning to visit my brother for a few days, so I have the house to myself until Thursday. Don't get me wrong, I love my parents, but I love having the house to myself every now and then. I love the peace and quiet, being in control of the remote - hello, Braves games every day - and generally just moving at my own pace. I don't know that I could necessarily live alone all the time, but every now and then it's really nice.

So today, I took the day for myself. I thought about going to a crawfish festival, and a few friends invited me to watch the Grizzlies game with them in Midtown, but in the end, I made the decision to fully embrace being home alone. I started - and finished - a jigsaw puzzle. I went for a walk. I had Chick-fil-A at an odd time. I watched cricket matches and some random tv. I watched the Braves game. And now I am snuggled up in bed watching the Grizz game and getting ready to hit the sack. I did have a bit of human interaction when Burton stopped by to interview me for his blog, but otherwise it was just me, myself, and I. And it was pretty glorious.

There will be time for parties and celebrating with friends on Monday. In the meantime, however, I'm going to watch some basketball, catch up on some magazine and book reading, and get a proper night's sleep.

So here's to celebrating, however and wherever you wish, and here's to a completed 40 Days of Giving Back Challenge.
xx

Previous Tasks:
Day One - Start a Journal
Day Two - Create a Generosity Jar
Day Three - Tool Up
Day Four - Connect
Day Five - An Attitude of Gratitude
Day Six - Reach
Day Seven - Redial
Day Eight - o.t.t.
Day Nine - Listen, carefully
Day Ten - Talent Show
Day Eleven - one green thing
Day Twelve - #nofilter
Day Thirteen - Go Local
Day Fourteen - Shhhhh
Day Fifteen - Stand Up, Stand Out
Day Sixteen - bake it, make it, take it
Day Seventeen - Ps and Qs
Day Eighteen - #charitytuesday
Day Nineteen - don't hold back the wonderful
Day Twenty - Always Talk to Strangers
Day Twenty-One - Pray
Day Twenty-Two - Unplug
Day Twenty-Three - Milk, No Sugar
Day Twenty-Four - grinning = winning
Day Twenty-Five - Treasure Hunt
Day Twenty-Six - domino
Day Twenty-Seven - blooming marvellous
Day Twenty-Eight - Go Guerrilla
Day Twenty-Nine - Well-Versed
Day Thirty - Meet a Need
Day Thirty-One - be crafty
Day Thirty-Two - Clear Out
Day Thirty-Three - Soapbox
Day Thirty-Four - date in their diary
Day Thirty-Five - gospel
Day Thirty-Six - Share Your Lunch
Day Thirty-Seven - be second
Day Thirty-Eight - Wipe the Slate
Day Thirty-Nine - Share Your Story

18 April 2014

my latest project: live-tweeting my 2014 re-watch of friday night lights.

Last fall I chronicled my love for the television show Friday Night Lights, so I won't rehash all of that today. Instead, I am going to let you in on a new little side project I'm going to be working on for the next few weeks.

I had been wanting for a few months to re-watch the show, but I was trying to put it off for as long as possible, knowing all too well how much it would likely consume my life once I fell into it again. And then, about a month ago, my brother messaged me that some random channel was showing it. I switched to the channel, and sure enough, it was showing the 2nd episode from Season 1. I watched what was left of it, and then episode 3 began. I had to go out for lunch, so I decided to record the remainder of the episode. In the process of doing so, it gave me the option to "Record New Episodes", so obviously I clicked on that. In the weeks since, I have discovered that the channel, Pivot, shows episodes each Friday night - makes sense, right? - so I have been watching an episode here and there and slowly falling back into it.

The other night, I was watching the gut-wrenching and heart-twisting Season 1 finale, and at the end of it, I really needed to share my emotions with someone. Anyone. Because it was about 11.30pm, I didn't want to message my brother or any friends, but I knew my message of "OMG the Panthers won State!" [sorry for the spoiler] needed to be shared. And then I thought of Twitter. And then I realized I was missing my calling in life: live-tweeting my 2014 re-watch of the gloriousness that is FNL.

The past few years Aziz Ansari has live-tweeted his version of the "Friday Night Lights Bowl" during the Super Bowl, and there are obviously lots of people who tweet about the show, but I've not seen anyone who's actually live-tweeted the entire series.

Challenge. Accepted.

So starting this weekend, I am going to start from the beginning - Season 1 Episode 1 - and make my way through the series, tweeting out the happenings and my reactions as I go. Feel free to follow along [@veen83] if you like the show or just want to see my ridiculous reactions or my overwhelming love for Tim Riggins. There will be a lot of spoilers, obviously, but if anyone has never seen it, you can follow along with me. All 5 seasons are available to stream on Netflix.

So here we go. #FNLrewatch2014 is about to commence.
xx

40 days of giving back, day thirty-nine: share your story.

I've been struggling for most of today with how to follow through on this task. Today's challenge was to share with everyone the story of how God has worked in my life. As I've mentioned previously, I'm not a particularly religious person, so it's difficult for me to do so. My parents are practicing Hindus, and although I will occasionally accompany them to the temple here in Memphis, they have never forced the religion on my brother or me, allowing us to decide for ourselves how prominent a role we want it to play in our lives. I freely admit that my brother is a much better Hindu than I am and will visit the temple often when he is home. My attendance is more sparse and often only coincides with family members' birthdays and my brother's exam dates; otherwise, you won'f find me there much. So as a result, I don't have any overwhelming stories of how religion has shaped or played a major role in my life.

Instead, I have lots of other stories that have shaped my life. Stories of people doing good around the world. Stories of organizations and schools working hard despite being forgotten by the world. Stories of those who have dedicated their lives to helping others. In many ways, that has become my religion, my spirituality. I'm much more touched when I hear stories of people helping people than I am when I hear stories of how religion has changed someone's life. I know sometimes those stories are linked, but I am always more interested in the humanity of it rather than the religion.

So I guess that's my story, that humanity is my religion. And that's just fine by me.
xx

Previous Tasks:
Day One - Start a Journal
Day Two - Create a Generosity Jar
Day Three - Tool Up
Day Four - Connect
Day Five - An Attitude of Gratitude
Day Six - Reach
Day Seven - Redial
Day Eight - o.t.t.
Day Nine - Listen, carefully
Day Ten - Talent Show
Day Eleven - one green thing
Day Twelve - #nofilter
Day Thirteen - Go Local
Day Fourteen - Shhhhh
Day Fifteen - Stand Up, Stand Out
Day Sixteen - bake it, make it, take it
Day Seventeen - Ps and Qs
Day Eighteen - #charitytuesday
Day Nineteen - don't hold back the wonderful
Day Twenty - Always Talk to Strangers
Day Twenty-One - Pray
Day Twenty-Two - Unplug
Day Twenty-Three - Milk, No Sugar
Day Twenty-Four - grinning = winning
Day Twenty-Five - Treasure Hunt
Day Twenty-Six - domino
Day Twenty-Seven - blooming marvellous
Day Twenty-Eight - Go Guerrilla
Day Twenty-Nine - Well-Versed
Day Thirty - Meet a Need
Day Thirty-One - be crafty
Day Thirty-Two - Clear Out
Day Thirty-Three - Soapbox
Day Thirty-Four - date in their diary
Day Thirty-Five - gospel
Day Thirty-Six - Share Your Lunch
Day Thirty-Seven - be second
Day Thirty-Eight - Wipe the Slate

17 April 2014

40 days of giving back, day thirty-eight: wipe the slate.

I've been thinking about this one all day, and I honestly am stumped. The challenge was to "wipe the slate" clean, to forgive someone who has hurt me or done something to upset me in the past. And I really can't think of anyone.

Sure, I've been hurt. I've had my heart broken. I've been mad at people for the way they've acted in a situation. But I'm not one to hold much of a grudge. I'll say my piece and then move on, because it's a waste of time for me to dwell on it any longer than is necessary.

So all that is to say that I spent most of today trying to figure out who I needed to forgive when the answer was honestly nobody. Which just makes me really grateful to think about.

Only 2 more days of this little challenge remaining!
xx

Previous Tasks:
Day One - Start a Journal
Day Two - Create a Generosity Jar
Day Three - Tool Up
Day Four - Connect
Day Five - An Attitude of Gratitude
Day Six - Reach
Day Seven - Redial
Day Eight - o.t.t.
Day Nine - Listen, carefully
Day Ten - Talent Show
Day Eleven - one green thing
Day Twelve - #nofilter
Day Thirteen - Go Local
Day Fourteen - Shhhhh
Day Fifteen - Stand Up, Stand Out
Day Sixteen - bake it, make it, take it
Day Seventeen - Ps and Qs
Day Eighteen - #charitytuesday
Day Nineteen - don't hold back the wonderful
Day Twenty - Always Talk to Strangers
Day Twenty-One - Pray
Day Twenty-Two - Unplug
Day Twenty-Three - Milk, No Sugar
Day Twenty-Four - grinning = winning
Day Twenty-Five - Treasure Hunt
Day Twenty-Six - domino
Day Twenty-Seven - blooming marvellous
Day Twenty-Eight - Go Guerrilla
Day Twenty-Nine - Well-Versed
Day Thirty - Meet a Need
Day Thirty-One - be crafty
Day Thirty-Two - Clear Out
Day Thirty-Three - Soapbox
Day Thirty-Four - date in their diary
Day Thirty-Five - gospel
Day Thirty-Six - Share Your Lunch
Day Thirty-Seven - be second

16 April 2014

14 of 52: showering britney + brandon.

Britney and Brandon are getting married in August, so to celebrate this past weekend we had a shower in Little Rock. I had never previously hosted any kind of shower, so I roped Laura and Jillian into co-hosting and therefore splitting duties. And - if I do say so myself - I think it all turned out brilliantly.

Since the Foodbank is having their own shower for Britney next month, this one was mostly Clinton School people, which was really nice. There were about 25 of us, and we kept things pretty low-key and casual. We had mimosas and sweet tea, lots of snacks, and a few little crafts that will be given as gifts to the Bs.

But most of all, we had a lot of laughter. Somehow, to me, that's what makes successful shower: how much people laugh. So based on that, we had the best shower that's even been thrown.

And for your viewing pleasure, some photographic evidence of the day:

[my first successful pinterest creation. #winning]
[the spread]
[these were by far the biggest hit. mostly because they were delicious]
[jillian and maggie]
[russell, jake, cory, ashley, jimmy, jillian, john, laura, maggie]
[b+b]
[me and my moo]
[katie and jillian]
[he took craft time very seriously]
[katie, jillian, britney, brandon, laura, and me]
[love my boo, however shady he may be]
other highlights included: picked up a new pair of running shoes; TuesdayNightLadiesNight at Sakura; my first successful Pinterest creation [even though Laura found the idea on Pinterest]; scored a Rhodes Choose 901 t-shirt [with the student discount!]; got asked if I was a college student; ice cream for dinner two nights in a row; lunch at Big Orange with Milligan and Abby; class 7 mini reunion.

[my new kicks. so much pink happening]
[the joyce roll from sakura. yummy]
[my banner all tied up]
[a concrete from shakey's. it's what's for dinner]
Such a fun weekend with fun people. Looking forward to a longer visit to the Rock next month.
xx

40 days of giving back, day thirty-seven: be second.

Today's task was to call up someone and ask them to hang out, allowing them to decide the time and manner in which to spend time together. It introduces the notion of putting someone else's schedule ahead of your own and allowing them to call the shots. And while I agree that this is a great idea, often trying to work around my friends' schedules for drinks or dinners, I am taking it in a different direction today.

The last few nights I've been out for dinner with friends and have not spent a whole lot of time with my parents. While it normally wouldn't be that big of a deal, they are leaving on Saturday to visit my brother, so I won't be seeing them for almost 7 days. I am very excited about having the house to myself for a few days, but in focusing on that, I've not been spending quality time with them.

I try not to, but it is easy to take for granted how great - and understanding - my parents are. They're letting me stay at home while I work in a job that I enjoy but does not pay, and they support whatever harebrained ideas I come up with, but when it gets into the day-to-day of things, I sometimes lose sight of it.

So for tonight, and for the next few nights, they get to call the shots. What we eat for dinner, what we watch on television, how many rounds of cards we play. All those things we've not done the last few nights that I know they'll appreciate going into this next week.

And 10 bucks says my father requests Taco Bell for dinner. There's a reason he and I get along so well.
xx

Previous Tasks:
Day One - Start a Journal
Day Two - Create a Generosity Jar
Day Three - Tool Up
Day Four - Connect
Day Five - An Attitude of Gratitude
Day Six - Reach
Day Seven - Redial
Day Eight - o.t.t.
Day Nine - Listen, carefully
Day Ten - Talent Show
Day Eleven - one green thing
Day Twelve - #nofilter
Day Thirteen - Go Local
Day Fourteen - Shhhhh
Day Fifteen - Stand Up, Stand Out
Day Sixteen - bake it, make it, take it
Day Seventeen - Ps and Qs
Day Eighteen - #charitytuesday
Day Nineteen - don't hold back the wonderful
Day Twenty - Always Talk to Strangers
Day Twenty-One - Pray
Day Twenty-Two - Unplug
Day Twenty-Three - Milk, No Sugar
Day Twenty-Four - grinning = winning
Day Twenty-Five - Treasure Hunt
Day Twenty-Six - domino
Day Twenty-Seven - blooming marvellous
Day Twenty-Eight - Go Guerrilla
Day Twenty-Nine - Well-Versed
Day Thirty - Meet a Need
Day Thirty-One - be crafty
Day Thirty-Two - Clear Out
Day Thirty-Three - Soapbox
Day Thirty-Four - date in their diary
Day Thirty-Five - gospel
Day Thirty-Six - Share Your Lunch

15 April 2014

40 days of giving back, day thirty-six: share your lunch.

Since I don't work in an office setting, I didn't have the opportunity to share my lunch with a coworker or someone in my office today. And the odds of seeing someone in Cordova asking for food is pretty slim. So I didn't really get to do this one today, but I'm going to keep it in my back pocket for the coming days to see how I can bring it about. [does cooking for Nathanial and Chad next week count? maybe]

I will also admit that as this is winding down, I'm losing a bit of steam. I've not actually seen the rest of the tasks, but I'm going to do my best to finish strong through the rest of this week.
xx

Previous Tasks:
Day One - Start a Journal
Day Two - Create a Generosity Jar
Day Three - Tool Up
Day Four - Connect
Day Five - An Attitude of Gratitude
Day Six - Reach
Day Seven - Redial
Day Eight - o.t.t.
Day Nine - Listen, carefully
Day Ten - Talent Show
Day Eleven - one green thing
Day Twelve - #nofilter
Day Thirteen - Go Local
Day Fourteen - Shhhhh
Day Fifteen - Stand Up, Stand Out
Day Sixteen - bake it, make it, take it
Day Seventeen - Ps and Qs
Day Eighteen - #charitytuesday
Day Nineteen - don't hold back the wonderful
Day Twenty - Always Talk to Strangers
Day Twenty-One - Pray
Day Twenty-Two - Unplug
Day Twenty-Three - Milk, No Sugar
Day Twenty-Four - grinning = winning
Day Twenty-Five - Treasure Hunt
Day Twenty-Six - domino
Day Twenty-Seven - blooming marvellous
Day Twenty-Eight - Go Guerrilla
Day Twenty-Nine - Well-Versed
Day Thirty - Meet a Need
Day Thirty-One - be crafty
Day Thirty-Two - Clear Out
Day Thirty-Three - Soapbox
Day Thirty-Four - date in their diary
Day Thirty-Five - gospel

14 April 2014

40 days of giving back, day thirty-five: gospel.

Today's challenge was to spread the gospel with people around me, so as you can imagine, I didn't really get anywhere with it.

Instead, I thought I would share a few quotes that have stuck with me over the years and have become my "gospel" of sorts.

Do, or do not. There is no try. Because Yoda always says it best.

The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others. I can sometimes be down on Gandhi-ji, but this is a solid truth.

Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier. Mother Teresa said plenty of things to remember, but this is one of my favourites.

It is when you're acting selflessly that you are at your bravest. Yes, it's a quote from a young-adult novel, but it's pretty true.

And then a few from my favourite famous couple, Bill and Hillary:

We cannot build our future without helping others build theirs. From my buddy Billy Jeff.

There cannot be true democracy unless women's voices are heard. From Hillary, the woman I want to be when I grow up.

A happy week ahead to you all.
xx

Previous Tasks:
Day One - Start a Journal
Day Two - Create a Generosity Jar
Day Three - Tool Up
Day Four - Connect
Day Five - An Attitude of Gratitude
Day Six - Reach
Day Seven - Redial
Day Eight - o.t.t.
Day Nine - Listen, carefully
Day Ten - Talent Show
Day Eleven - one green thing
Day Twelve - #nofilter
Day Thirteen - Go Local
Day Fourteen - Shhhhh
Day Fifteen - Stand Up, Stand Out
Day Sixteen - bake it, make it, take it
Day Seventeen - Ps and Qs
Day Eighteen - #charitytuesday
Day Nineteen - don't hold back the wonderful
Day Twenty - Always Talk to Strangers
Day Twenty-One - Pray
Day Twenty-Two - Unplug
Day Twenty-Three - Milk, No Sugar
Day Twenty-Four - grinning = winning
Day Twenty-Five - Treasure Hunt
Day Twenty-Six - domino
Day Twenty-Seven - blooming marvellous
Day Twenty-Eight - Go Guerrilla
Day Twenty-Nine - Well-Versed
Day Thirty - Meet a Need
Day Thirty-One - be crafty
Day Thirty-Two - Clear Out
Day Thirty-Three - Soapbox
Day Thirty-Four - date in their diary

40 days of giving back, day thirty-four: date in their diary.

Saturday's task was to plan and send out invitations for a party to be hosted this upcoming Saturday. I guess I was just ahead of the curve, because I hosted a party yesterday in Little Rock. So I'm going to go ahead and say I checked that one off a week early.

We had a wedding shower for Britney and Brandon yesterday for their Little Rock friends, which was fun. It was the first time I've been part of hosting a wedding shower, and I think it was a roaring success.

I will chronicle the shower properly - with photographic evidence - in my weekly roundup, so I won't go into all the details here. You'll just have to check back later to read all about it.
xx

Previous Tasks:
Day One - Start a Journal
Day Two - Create a Generosity Jar
Day Three - Tool Up
Day Four - Connect
Day Five - An Attitude of Gratitude
Day Six - Reach
Day Seven - Redial
Day Eight - o.t.t.
Day Nine - Listen, carefully
Day Ten - Talent Show
Day Eleven - one green thing
Day Twelve - #nofilter
Day Thirteen - Go Local
Day Fourteen - Shhhhh
Day Fifteen - Stand Up, Stand Out
Day Sixteen - bake it, make it, take it
Day Seventeen - Ps and Qs
Day Eighteen - #charitytuesday
Day Nineteen - don't hold back the wonderful
Day Twenty - Always Talk to Strangers
Day Twenty-One - Pray
Day Twenty-Two - Unplug
Day Twenty-Three - Milk, No Sugar
Day Twenty-Four - grinning = winning
Day Twenty-Five - Treasure Hunt
Day Twenty-Six - domino
Day Twenty-Seven - blooming marvellous
Day Twenty-Eight - Go Guerrilla
Day Twenty-Nine - Well-Versed
Day Thirty - Meet a Need
Day Thirty-One - be crafty
Day Thirty-Two - Clear Out
Day Thirty-Three - Soapbox

40 days of giving back, day thirty-three: soapbox.

Friday's task was to sign a petition for a cause that I am passionate about. As I have mentioned numerous times over the last few years - and during the course of this challenge - girls' education has become one of the things that I am most interested in. It seems simple enough, that educating girls will change the world, and yet girls in developing countries are still not receiving access to quality secondary education at the same rate that boys are.

I have signed a number of online petitions in the last few years on this topic, including at least 3 in support of Malala Yousafzai, so I will admit to not doing this again on Friday. Instead, I thought I would bring attention to a few organizations / initiatives around the world who are working on promoting girls' education. Feel free to click on the links for more information.

Room to Read

Girl Rising

The Girl Effect

She's the First

Plan International

Care International

United Nations Girls' Education Initiative

There are plenty more around the world working in this area, but these are just a few of the ones I am familiar with. Take a look through and learn more about their work, and donate or become an ambassador if any of them motivate you to do so.

Educate a girl to change the world. It's true.
xx

Previous Tasks:
Day One - Start a Journal
Day Two - Create a Generosity Jar
Day Three - Tool Up
Day Four - Connect
Day Five - An Attitude of Gratitude
Day Six - Reach
Day Seven - Redial
Day Eight - o.t.t.
Day Nine - Listen, carefully
Day Ten - Talent Show
Day Eleven - one green thing
Day Twelve - #nofilter
Day Thirteen - Go Local
Day Fourteen - Shhhhh
Day Fifteen - Stand Up, Stand Out
Day Sixteen - bake it, make it, take it
Day Seventeen - Ps and Qs
Day Eighteen - #charitytuesday
Day Nineteen - don't hold back the wonderful
Day Twenty - Always Talk to Strangers
Day Twenty-One - Pray
Day Twenty-Two - Unplug
Day Twenty-Three - Milk, No Sugar
Day Twenty-Four - grinning = winning
Day Twenty-Five - Treasure Hunt
Day Twenty-Six - domino
Day Twenty-Seven - blooming marvellous
Day Twenty-Eight - Go Guerrilla
Day Twenty-Nine - Well-Versed
Day Thirty - Meet a Need
Day Thirty-One - be crafty
Day Thirty-Two - Clear Out

10 April 2014

40 days of giving back, day thirty-two: clear out.

This one sort of goes along with what I decided to do for Tuesday's challenge. The task is to clean out and purge - closets, drawers, shelves, desks - and give away everything you're not using or wearing.

If you know me, you know that I am a pack rat. I hoard everything, from clothes to pictures to books to Sharpies and other office supplies to random little keepsakes that I've collected over the years. And as a result, my room often looks cluttered and as though it is bursting at the seams.

A few times a year I try to go through and purge whatever I can. Clothes and shoes I'm not wearing, books I probably won't read again, Sharpies that no longer work, keepsakes whose origins I can no longer remember. As you can imagine, it takes me a few days to sort through everything, and then I'm usually too scared for a few weeks to touch or move anything so that it stays clean just for a bit. I donate whatever I can to Goodwill, the library, and veterans associations and then begin collecting treasures for the next go-round.

As I mentioned on Tuesday, I have a giant bag in my room that I'm using to collect things as I find them to give away. So far it's mostly clothes that either no longer fit or I no longer wear, but it will soon include a few other goodies as well. And once the bag gets full, I'll start filling another one.

It's a slightly different approach than I usually take, since I'm doing it a bit at a time rather than devoting 2 or 3 straight days to it, so we'll see how it goes.

Wish me luck, and maybe start your own purge in solidarity.
xx

Previous Tasks:
Day One - Start a Journal
Day Two - Create a Generosity Jar
Day Three - Tool Up
Day Four - Connect
Day Five - An Attitude of Gratitude
Day Six - Reach
Day Seven - Redial
Day Eight - o.t.t.
Day Nine - Listen, carefully
Day Ten - Talent Show
Day Eleven - one green thing
Day Twelve - #nofilter
Day Thirteen - Go Local
Day Fourteen - Shhhhh
Day Fifteen - Stand Up, Stand Out
Day Sixteen - bake it, make it, take it
Day Seventeen - Ps and Qs
Day Eighteen - #charitytuesday
Day Nineteen - don't hold back the wonderful
Day Twenty - Always Talk to Strangers
Day Twenty-One - Pray
Day Twenty-Two - Unplug
Day Twenty-Three - Milk, No Sugar
Day Twenty-Four - grinning = winning
Day Twenty-Five - Treasure Hunt
Day Twenty-Six - domino
Day Twenty-Seven - blooming marvellous
Day Twenty-Eight - Go Guerrilla
Day Twenty-Nine - Well-Versed
Day Thirty - Meet a Need
Day Thirty-One - be crafty

09 April 2014

veena's version of things to see and do in dc.

A few weeks ago I flew up to DC to spend a weekend with some friends. My friend Shalini currently lives there but is moving to Paris at the end of May, so I made it a goal to see her before she left. Along with her, Dylan has been there since last summer, Stan has been there since who-knows-when, and I have been telling Haygood for years that I will get up there to see him. So it finally all worked out, and I headed up there for 3 days [that turned in to 4 since it snowed and my flight got cancelled!].

We had a jam-packed weekend full of mostly eating and drinking, so I thought I would share with you my thoughts on the places we went to in case you find yourself in our nation's capital in the near future.

to drink:

Jackpot was a great low-key bar in the heart of Chinatown. It's in a basement and is hard to miss, but if you find it, you won't be disappointed. I'm a big fan of simple, low-key places, and this one certainly fit the bill. There are very few decorations, some large-screen televisions, about 10 tables, some chairs in the corner, and a long bar that runs the length of the room, but it manages to feel cozy. They have a ton of bars on tap as well as a large collection of whiskey, and although they only have popcorn by way of food available, I think they're cool if you bring in your own food [bonus: there's a taco place just next door that looked good]. We went on a Friday, and they had a Happy Hour that ran from 5-8pm with $5 well drinks as well as beer specials. Oh, and the bartender is pretty cute. That never hurts.

The Saloon was one of our stops on Saturday night, and we had a blast. They have a strict 'No Standing' policy, but we got there just in time to nab some seats at the bar, and we had a great time getting to know the owner/bartender while enjoying our drinks. He is this hilarious, super snarky man in his mid-60s, and he kept us entertained - and on the tips of our toes - while we were there.

The Gibson was a very cool speakeasy we went to on Saturday night with Dylan and some of his friends. Because of the setup, we ended up in a private room, which was pretty cool. The Gibson offers all kinds of old-timey cocktails, and if you're unsure of what to order, the servers are pretty helpful with suggestions once they find out what you like to drink. The prices were pretty reasonable, and I'd have to say that probably my only complaint was that the service took ages. Because the rooms are so split up, you don't actually realize how busy they are and how many people there are, and with only 2 or 3 servers - that I could see - it took a long time for our orders to be filled. But otherwise, it's definitely worth the visit. Side note: make a reservation, particularly if it's a Friday or Saturday night. I don't know if it's required, but it's definitely advisable.

to eat [and drink, too]:

The Big Board was our dinner stop on Friday night. Stan, one of my classmates from grad school, works helps out there a few nights a week, so we went there for dinner so that we would be able to spend some time with him. Stan recommended the burgers, so I went with The Big Apple, since it was the one with bacon. And it was delicious. We ordered some fries for the table, and they were pretty great, too. Dylan and Shalini both had great things to say about their burgers, and Stan's special-order salad looked pretty scrumptious. The building itself isn't particularly noteworthy, but they have a tv in the corner that displays the real-time prices of the beers on tap as though they are stocks. It's quite interesting. And the food was more than enough to entice us.

Bandolero was where Shalini and I grabbed brunch on Saturday. One of my favourite things about DC is that most places serve brunch until 4pm, so we slept in and lazed about on Saturday morning before departing for Georgetown in search of food. One of the positives to showing up at 3pm for "brunch" is that there isn't much of a wait to get a table. We were seated immediately, and since it was a beautiful day, we took a table right next to the window with its awnings thrown open, so we could people watch with gusto while enjoying our strawberry mimosas - genius and delicious - and our food. We got some chips and salsa to begin, and I had the miniature pork tacos, which were awesome. Shalini had something that was pork and cheese that looked great, but I was pretty stuffed after my tacos. Had we gotten there earlier, we probably would have taken advantage of the bottomless mimosas, which was a great deal. But since we were a bit on the late side, we each just stuck with one drink each and stuffed our faces with the yummy food.

Kafe Leopold was a delicious brunch stop in Cady's Alley in Georgetown where we ate on Sunday. Again we slept in and lazed about and went for brunch only around 2pm. There was a bit of a wait for a table in the main section, but then we found out there was an attached "lounge" that had available seating, so we opted for that. Shalini had a warm cider that she said was just ok, but my salmon Bloody Mary was fantastic and comes highly recommended. We decided to split two dishes, but I can't find their exact names on the website since they were on the brunch menu. There was salmon, and there were hash browns, and there were grits. I can't remember in which combination, but both dishes were pretty good. Hands down, though, the highlights were the Bloody Mary and the apfelstrudel that we had for dessert. Yum.

other things to do:

DC is a great city with no shortage of museums, memorials, and various other tourist attractions. I had previously visited the Smithsonian galleries, the Presidential memorials, and the Holocaust Museum on trips with my parents in 1998 and with Caitlin, Shelley, and Emily during our Spring Break 2004 road trip, so I didn't get back to any of them on this visit. I do, however, highly recommend seeing them if you have the time and have never done so before. My personal recommendation is the Holocaust Museum, but make sure you have the whole day to spend in there and carry a packet of tissues. It's a beautiful museum and memorial, and it is definitely worth a visit.

getting around:

The DC Metro! It's an easy, cheap way to move around the city. With the multiple lines going in all directions, most places are easily accessible to a Metro station, and the ones that aren't, you can get to by bus. SmartCards can be purchased at all Metro stations and can be used on the trains and on the buses. The fares work like the Underground in London -- buses are a standard fare no matter what, and the trains take money off your card based on your starting and end points. I bought a card and put $20 on it, and it lasted me for the 3 days that I was in town. And as far as I know, the cards don't expire [the fares might deplete, though], so I can keep it and use it the next time I'm in DC, just as I do with my London Oyster Card. Trains run until 1am on weeknights, I think, and until 3am on the weekends. They run a little less frequently on the weekends, but the entire system is automated, so when you arrive on the platform you can see how long the wait is until your next train. The entire system is very well labeled and laid out, so it's easy to determine how to get where you want to go, and if you have any questions, there are station attendants who can help you.

Cabs are obviously an option as well, but the only time I experienced cabs in DC was with my parents 16 years ago, so I'm definitely not qualified to discuss the pros and cons of them. Mostly for me, they're more expensive than the public transportation, and since there is an underground subway that leads from the Metro station to the lower basement of Shalini's building, we didn't have any safety issues when going home late at night / in the wee hours of the morning.

I'm sorry I don't have any pictures from any of the places -- unfortunately I was lazy on that front and didn't take any :( So you'll just have to use your imagination or, better yet, go visit them yourself!

Happy travels.
xx

40 days of giving back, day thirty-one: be crafty.

Well if this wasn't just the absolute kick in the butt that I needed.

Today's task was to do something crafty for someone else. I need to make a banner for Britney and Brandon's engagement party this weekend, and I've kind of been putting it off. Coincidence much? I think not.

So I am off to Target this afternoon to buy the cardstock and twine / ribbon I need for the banner, and this afternoon will be spent working on that in between various things for work.

Fingers crossed my first grown-up craft venture turns out well. I'll post a picture in my weekly roundup post early next week so you can see how it turns out.
xx

Previous Tasks:
Day One - Start a Journal
Day Two - Create a Generosity Jar
Day Three - Tool Up
Day Four - Connect
Day Five - An Attitude of Gratitude
Day Six - Reach
Day Seven - Redial
Day Eight - o.t.t.
Day Nine - Listen, carefully
Day Ten - Talent Show
Day Eleven - one green thing
Day Twelve - #nofilter
Day Thirteen - Go Local
Day Fourteen - Shhhhh
Day Fifteen - Stand Up, Stand Out
Day Sixteen - bake it, make it, take it
Day Seventeen - Ps and Qs
Day Eighteen - #charitytuesday
Day Nineteen - don't hold back the wonderful
Day Twenty - Always Talk to Strangers
Day Twenty-One - Pray
Day Twenty-Two - Unplug
Day Twenty-Three - Milk, No Sugar
Day Twenty-Four - grinning = winning
Day Twenty-Five - Treasure Hunt
Day Twenty-Six - domino
Day Twenty-Seven - blooming marvellous
Day Twenty-Eight - Go Guerrilla
Day Twenty-Nine - Well-Versed
Day Thirty - Meet a Need

08 April 2014

40 days of giving back, day thirty: meet a need.

Today's challenge was to meet the need of a local organization, such as a food bank or a hospital. In our little suburb, there is a veterans association that comes by once a month to pick up and clothing or household items that we no longer have a use for. They came by today, and my father had left a few bags out by the mailbox for them, so I guess today he was the one who followed through on this challenge.

Trust me, I definitely have some things I need to get rid of. It's time for me to do my quarterly closet and room cleanse and give the things I don't use regularly to someone who might. Unfortunately, I didn't know that today was their pick-up day until about 7pm last night, and so I didn't have enough time to get my stuff together.

But. When they came by to pick up this month's haul, they left another bright yellow bag for next months collection. I brought the bag up to my room, and in these next few days and weeks, I'm going to slowly start filling it with the things I no longer wear or use. And when they come back next month, I'll be ready.

In the meantime, I'd still like to help another organization. I called up the Mid-South Food Bank this afternoon, and although they don't have any particular needs at the moment, they said they always accept donations. So when I make a Kroger run for the parents later this week, I'm going to pick up some canned goods to take over to one of their donations sites. Additionally, I filled out the individual volunteer form to spend a few hours each Monday afternoon filling backpacks for one of their programs. It's a small way I can start volunteering regularly - something I've been wanting to do - and help out a local organization.

I'm always on the lookout for more opportunities like these - especially one-time volunteer opportunities for events - so if you hear of anything, pass them along to me. And happy helping.
xx

Previous Tasks:
Day One - Start a Journal
Day Two - Create a Generosity Jar
Day Three - Tool Up
Day Four - Connect
Day Five - An Attitude of Gratitude
Day Six - Reach
Day Seven - Redial
Day Eight - o.t.t.
Day Nine - Listen, carefully
Day Ten - Talent Show
Day Eleven - one green thing
Day Twelve - #nofilter
Day Thirteen - Go Local
Day Fourteen - Shhhhh
Day Fifteen - Stand Up, Stand Out
Day Sixteen - bake it, make it, take it
Day Seventeen - Ps and Qs
Day Eighteen - #charitytuesday
Day Nineteen - don't hold back the wonderful
Day Twenty - Always Talk to Strangers
Day Twenty-One - Pray
Day Twenty-Two - Unplug
Day Twenty-Three - Milk, No Sugar
Day Twenty-Four - grinning = winning
Day Twenty-Five - Treasure Hunt
Day Twenty-Six - domino
Day Twenty-Seven - blooming marvellous
Day Twenty-Eight - Go Guerrilla
Day Twenty-Nine - Well-Versed