Me and my leaps in cooking

#learningtocook #Kitchen #cooking #catchingup

Coming from a purely academia oriented family, I have never been encouraged to be inside the kitchen for too long let alone cook a dish. This could come off for a few as weird, to the others as something entirely different which I find myself unable to name. But strangely enough, the nagging question stands to be, was I deprived of any childhood joys that most kids of my time exhausted themselves over?🤔🤔 When asked why I wouldn’t be allowed in the kitchen my mum would say, “ Honey, you would have to learn that later on in life anyway, concentrate on the things you wouldn’t get much time to develop on later.” I would just shrug and move away and run back to my room or the outdoors. Listening but finding it hard to accept. Thinking but wondering why she said so.

I am now a proud owner of a mini induction and I am fully capable of cooking basic meals in my hostel😏. This time during my summer vacation at home, I learnt a lot in what you might call, ‘Kitchen handling’. You would laugh at the small yet basic things I have learnt. I have learned how to knead dough for the Indian bread. You would be surprised that I also made curd, small vegetable curries, a few fries, chicken fry is another thing I can make as it doesn’t involve much work and a few things here and there ( laugh all you want, you can even sneer at me but I already acknowledge how bad I am at it🤣🤣🤣). You shouldn’t confuse this with baking... hello... not at all! Baking is different. Wish someone could give me a secret on making cakes over the induction... sounds crazy but... well... who hasn’t experimented in the kitchen eh!

I am now capable of handling any kitchen in the world (a bit of an exaggeration... but mehhh something like that). Although I still find cooking as a skill that involves a lot of patience I have realised that there is nothing that time and experience cannot solve, although for me, this might take more than the required amount of time(chuckling😃😃). Small leaps in cooking are what I would rename my current circumstance. Although, in my defence, I enjoy cleaning over cooking and can credit to myself to accomplishing that task extremely well. But then again, now to think of it, what use are takeouts and instant noodles for? Huh??😜😝

PhD Pep Talk for all those out there who need some advice on managing time

(Disclaimer- I am fine.. just needed to address this issue to all those who stay away from home... besides I like writing.. so enjoy reading) 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

 #havefun #staycheerful #PhDpeptalk

You might be one who is crowded by friends at all times, or one who has multiple groups and is busy. You could even be holding the top position or be married to the love of your life. You could also be busy enough not to think much on what I write now... but mark my words friends, we, at some point feel alone or lonely. Most big shots hate to admit it, but at some point you just feel... alone. Can we rely on the ones who love us dearly to give us company at all times? I am not sure you would do that. But even if you do, you cannot expect to get all that you do for others to get back in return. You cannot expect them to be you. The feeling of being lonely can eat at you. It can bother you and pester you so much that, you tend not to be yourself. You might even break down in tears.😥😩😖

To all the above, I urge you to delve into more productive ways of channelling that energy. This isn’t a yogi or a guru or a ‘speaking tree’ talking. This is one who has realised after 6 years outside home and has been in the presence of friends who acknowledged feeling the same way in all these years. When you realise that you are beginning to feel alone, try to divert your mind into something you like to do. This isn't some new advice, but a gentle reminder isn't harmful either..(😉winking!).This could be watching a movie, baking (I’ve realised that, this is one task that is just so comforting..... high five to all the bakers out there), reading a book, playing music, painting, anything. It could be countless number of things that come to your mind.

Why text up or call a friend? Take charge of yourself! Take charge of your life. Grab this as a chance to know yourself and improve yourself a step more. Most of these things you would realise later usually take a back seat in your busy life. Take an opportunity to dig them out in times like this. You feel accomplished, fulfilling and much better.

At the end of this, are you the same person who had their faces drooping? Or instead, are you one who was exploring yourself in the name of loneliness? I’d rather go with the second. You should choose to better utilise your time for yourself instead of tagging it loneliness, because you aren't lonely, you are simply exploring your potential and working out the creative side inside of you.

Say that to yourself next time, "(screaming)..I am not lonely, I know how to be by myself!!!!! (😆😆😆haha...)".

The 100 year plan!!!

While each one of us thinks about the future and wants to be prepared and planned for the next bunch of days, nay, next bunch of years, some people like to go over the top on their planning. To add on to this, they do so without hesitation. Now why did I say so is owing to my immediate neighbor, a married old couple of over 70 years. The beginning of this year saw them employing a huge machine to pulverize their home... their sweet old home that had seen the best and the worst of days raze to the ground. Why did they do so.... their reply, softly if not with stern looks back at us tells us that they intend to construct a better house?

What can I say, our residential area in this part of Dehradun comes with a package of an amazing and beautiful locality, but also to those who do not realise the slope of the land and build their roads and houses without proper planning face monsoons brimming over with hassles. What hassles to such a lovely weather you might ask. Well, this refers to the rain water unable to exit the house itself!!!! (Well, don’t worry, we of course do not face such issues).Now would you imagine, instead of raising the level of the road or trying to play around with the slope of the land and the water table, investing in a proper drainage for the rain water to exit would be a wise decision on anyone’s part. But no..... probably constructing a new house that is raised high is the better option. I wonder... few thousand bucks versus lakhs of rupees...????

The reasoning doesn’t end here. Over the period of the last few months we have been silent observers to the laying of the foundation. I was surprised to see that their floor starts where the top of my window overlooking their plot ends!!! That high! I know I have heard of 5 year plans of the government, students themselves have plans for the next couple of years.... but this!!!!!!!..... I am sure for the next 50-100 years this house shall be on the highest platform in this entire colony!!

Cheers to the future... why didn’t I think of something like this (chuckling)!!!

#lifeinDoon #Vacation #neighbors