Tag - I'm it. Part 2.

11 questions from Lakshmi, who tagged me back.

1. Who is the guy who makes you go ‘what a hunk’ today?
Yesterday, today, tomorrow – Liam Neeson.

2. The last book you read completely?
The most recently read book – The Submission, by Amy Waldman

3. Will Akhilesh Yadav make or break UP?
Who’s he?

4. What comes to mind when I say NZ?
You :) And volcanoes, earthquakes, mud pools, sheep, the TranzAlpine train journey – to name a few.

5. It’s just not done to talk in Tamil in all the happening’ places in Chennai nowdays. Cool or uncool? And why?
I have to say “uncool” because what’s so wrong with speaking your mother-tongue? That said, I’m very aware that I’ll come across as a Grade-A hypocrite because *I* don’t speak/read/write Tamil properly or much, and never have.

6. Would you ever go back to live permanently in India? Why/why not?
Nope, not unless circumstances absolutely forced me to, because a) my husband is English and b) my mother and my siblings are all settled in the States.

7. Do you believe in global warming? It is just part of the Earth’s routine cycle of climate change or is it man made?
Routine cycle of climate change. Unless the scientists are wrong about the reason for previous Ice Ages and hotter times being all-natural causes... in which case, why did THOSE come about? Modern civilisation with its machinery and excessive numbers of cattle didn't exist then to take the blame.

8. If you think it would make a difference to global warming, would you turn vegan?
Perhaps. Very much based on how quickly the difference – good or bad - would come about.

9. What would you spend on a million bucks on, without regretting it?
Travelling to fabulous places, no question.

10. What is your favourite perfume?
Keeps changing. Currently it’s White Diamonds by Emporio Armani.


11. What is the one thing that always makes you happy?
A really good, well-stocked lending library.

Tag - I'm it!

I think this tagging thing is going to be interesting if everybody who does the meme tags the tagger. :) I've been tagged by Anu, so here are my answers to her questions!

1) Which is your favourite Enid Blyton book? 
The Family at Red Roofs. 


2) Did you ever see an UFO or see something you thought was an UFO? 
Nope :( 


3) Which was your least favourite subject in school? 
I'll take the liberty of two least favourites here - maths, because my brain could never deal with it. And physics, because the teacher was a sleazeball. 


4) Where did you meet your spouse/ significant other? 
In Singapore, at Borders bookshop on Orchard Road. 


5) Which childhood friend have you kept in touch with? 
Girish Vaitheeswaran. 


6) Are you still good friends? 
No... but we catch up occasionally on Facebook. 


7) Who was your least favourite boss? And why? 
Shivaji, the news editor at Indian Express when I joined as an apprentice. His was a poisonous personality - Shakespeare must have had him in mind when he wrote "O villain, villain, smiling, damnèd villain" and "one may smile, and smile, and be a villain". That was Shivaji, in a nutshell. Also, he absolutely REEKED of sweat even though he only ever wore white - we were forced to hold our breath if he was in our proximity!


8) If you could change jobs what would you rather be doing? I'd be travelling to exotic places and staying in the best hotels for free AND being paid handsomely for the privilege! Conde Nast, are you listening? 


9) Which book have you read as a child that you would like to re-read but can't find a copy anywhere? 
It was not so much a whole book as a collection of excerpts from various kids' adventure tales - The Hamlyn Book of Modern something or other... wish I could remember the name. I wish I could remember all the authors who featured in it... 


10)Sean Connery, Timothy Dalton, Roger Moore, Pierce Brosnan, George Lazenby or Daniel Craig? Which one do you consider best suited for James Bond? 
Pierce Brosnan, for the ultra suave Bond, and Daniel Craig for the gritty, back-to-basics Bond.


11)Your favourite poet? 
Hmmm.... probably Robert Frost.

Tag - you're it!

1. You must post the rules. 
2. Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post & then create 11 new questions to ask the people you’ve tagged.
3. Tag 11 people and link to them on your post. 
4. Let them know you’ve tagged them! 

I haven't rounded up 11 people to tag... but I've tagged a few favourites :) I believe return tags are more than a possibility if you've got the time and the patience to formulate your own questions!


Here are the questions from Vani (The Life of Umm) 


1. Name the friend you’ve known longest. 
Raghavan. 


2. How did you meet? 
In school, as new students. 


3. How long have you known him? 
30 years, almost to the day. 


4. Name an embarrassing crush, one you would hesitate to accept in public. (But will now)
Ugh... a rickshaw-wallah who occasionally subbed for our actual rickshaw-puller in the days that we went to school crammed into a rickshaw with other kids. In my defence, I was young, and he had perfect dimples. That crush lasted a couple of months (at a guess) until I saw him blotto-out-of-his-mind-drunk during Deepavali. 


5. A man/woman from history you would have proposed to. 
Raja Ram Mohan Roy.


6. Name an international city that you feel is over-rated.
Brussels. 


7. An Indian dish that is over-rated. 
Anything with coconut milk - I hate the greasy, queasily rich mouth-feel. 


8. What do you think of same sex marriage? 
I wouldn't, personally, do it - but no problems with anyone who does. Live and let live. 


9. Reality shows are:…………….. 
Devoid of actual reality. 


10. Designer clothes are:…………… 
Overpriced rubbish meant for people with more money than sense. As cliched as that term is, it's still true. 


11. Illayaraja or A R Rahman?
A R Rahman, no question!

And now, here are my 11 questions for: Teesu Gee MiM Shruthi Vani Boo Anu

1. Which city did you visit during your first visit abroad?


2. What was your first impression of it?


3. Your most favourite mode of transportation, and your least?


4. If you could ask God one question, what would it be?


5. Good or bad, what memory from your childhood stands out the most in your mind?


6. Do you like soft pillows or firm ones?


7. Did you like school?


8. What would you tell your least favourite teacher, if you were to meet him/her now?


9. Do you like your name? If not, what name would you give yourself?


10. Your opinion of fund-raising balls/parties/dinners organised for/by celebrities


and finally


11. Got any advice for me? :)