Grey does happen to be one of my favorite colors, but I prefer life in myriad shades. Sometimes, do you just sit back and let random thoughts flow through your head? And feel kind of good afterward? I do. In fact, I always sit with pen and paper – why lose a masterpiece for want of writing implements?
By the way, last week, curiosity got the better of me seeing the world abuzz with the latest phenomenon on the block – Fifty Shades Of Grey. Now, I haven’t read any of the Twilight-series books. When a blogger I admire and enjoy reading -Lynn of All Fooked Up – blogged about it – not Twilight – Fifty Shades – I got, as Lewis Carroll would say, curiouser and curiouser.
Then, Kim of My Inner Chick mentioned it too in one of her posts. I figured I’d read the book, eventually. You see, when everyone raves about a movie, I am the sort that waits until they air it on TV. Yeah. They do, you know. So anyway – I did read the book – and must admit it is not really my cuppa tea (or coffee). I hated Mills & Boon when I was twenty, so this one did not do it for me. Rather poorly written and repetitive, I found the female lead quite annoying most of the time. It was boring and I felt compelled to speed read it. I only finished the book because I don’t like to ditch anything half way.
What I did enjoy was this post criticizing the book – it was hilarious. Cassandra Parkin nitpicks the heck out of Fifty Shades in her book “Lighter Shades of Grey”, which is a very critical reader’s guide to Fifty Shades. Still, no matter what is being said, no matter who loves/hates the book, E L James is definitely laughing in fifty ways, all the way to the bank with her trilogy, soon to be made into a movie.
So – anyway – I just got a little side-tracked there. Urrgh!
I really meant to share my own random fifty shades of life…
- Love how the fragrance of my coffee truly gets my day off to a wonderful start. Thankful for my routine.
- Gratified when I think of someone and they call on the phone.
- The thought of sipping mango juice with Vidur after he returns from school and catching up, joking together makes me smile…no, grin.
- Overeating a sinfully expensive chocolate-y gooey cake. And I say I am not fond of sweets.
- Discovering a fantastic blog and wanting to read its entire archive in one day
- Feeling upset that my Thatha is not in his usual spot and worrying to death about it, only to find him on the other side of the road.
- My flower lady scolding me for not buying flowers for my Mom’s photo every day. And then asking if I am doing okay. After all, it is a week since she saw me.
- My regular condiments store guy spotting me park my bike outside his shop and before my helmet is off and I step in, he’s got my staples ready on the counter and waiting for me to add more
- Vidur making his favorite faces at me hoping I’ll laugh when he sees me looking serious or worried
- Receiving a T-shirt from my friend in my happiest shade of pink
- Someone I barely know sees a long-ago wish list and offers to send an item from it to me, all the way from another country.
- I sleep worrying about something. I wake up with a solution
- Wandering into the supermarket. Feeling disgusted because I forgot my list. And then the store girl brings the exact two items I need asking if I meant those. AND there’s a great deal on the product. Yay!
- Unexpectedly finding cash in my Mom’s book. Hey, this has been happening for two years now. I won’t be surprised if there’s cash in each one of her books – I still have several to go through. She had a master’s degree in literature and education, after all.
- Dreaming of my Mom and remembering it vividly in the morning
- Noticing every tree along the road, every vendor, every street dweller and garbage collector and being able to smile at them. Yeah, the trees too! Each one has a unique bark. Yeah, the people too
- Feeling overloaded with work and wondering how to fit in clearing up the kitchen, making lunch and hanging out the clothes to dry – and an hour later when I set out to do these things, Vidur and Sury have already tackled it. Bliss.
- Hugs from Vidur – positive experiences!
- Picking up bread from the store and having it snatched away – I look shocked and turn to see who did it – it is the bread delivery guy who replaces the pack in my hand with a fresh one.Then he goes on to ask me if I’ve had breakfast and coffee and tells me what he had for bf. I ought to have coffee with him one of these days.
- Remembering my friend’s Mom and crying, she was so fond of me, as I was of her
- Watching the skies in the evening on the terrace, and remembering all my blogging friends, thinking, wow, they’re under the same sky.
- Reading a book by one of my favorite authors, Rohinton Mistry, and feeling oh-so-satisfied
- Unable to get a tune I heard decades ago, out of my head – thrilled there’s YouTube to search, and realizing I don’t know the title, artist or the lyrics. And making my own lyrics and setting them to the tune because it is so catchy!
- Cherishing the comments on my blog, and the love I see
- Holding the virtual connections I’ve made close to my heart and hoping I’ll meet ‘em someday. I will, at least some of them.
- Visiting the girls’ orphanage to feed them – there are around 110 girls there now, in the age range of 5 to 17 years. My heart melts when they smile at me.
- The pigeons on my verandah make me mad because I have to scrape their poo at least once a week, then one day, I don’t hear their sounds and worry. I realize I don’t hate them.
- Discovering I love to cook!
- An email almost every day from readers of my blog, saying how much they love it. Happiness
- Someone called me, saying that a mutual friend told them they’d feel better after talking to me. And they did.
- Getting excited about a blog post I read.
- Going through old videos of Vidur singing
- Delaying something, to discover I did the right thing
- Feeling guilty about not replying to blog comments the same day… because I believe we can all make the time for anything we truly want to do – and guiltier because I DO want to reply right away, except I am on a tight time schedule
- As I pray for my friends every morning when I light my lamp…I am not very surprised that God’s voice is my Mother’s
- Losing myself in nostalgia when I listen to a song I haven’t heard for decades – and enjoying the memories. Love how each song reminds me of someone
- . ….which makes me think, if and when I write fiction, I will definitely have music in the background, a carefully compiled playlist
- Watching the first graders I met ten years ago…grow into smart young ladies and gentlemen…..and smiling at them every day with a “hi”
- Fantasizing about taking a week off – and smirking at myself when I realize I will spend it spring cleaning! Too used to a busman’s holiday!
- Used to think bananas are the best fruit with corn flakes. But mangoes are now competing for the position
- Getting advice from Vidur about time management. Love it – because it works
- Fondly recalling holding an 8-month old baby, 24 years ago…..and reveling in the glory of the thought that he is representing India in the Men’s Doubles, Tennis at the London Olympics 2012.
- Contemplating an eclectic list to post on my local freecycle.org group to give away
- Thinking of painting a wall red at home – I want change!
- Got a set of fabric markers. Not sure why. But I am planning to sketch some of Vidur’s favorite stuff on some plain T-shirts.
- Want to get my sewing machine serviced – so I can sew something – inspired after I read about someone’s creations.
- Still working up my guts to get a short haircut. I don’t think I will. Although I might look alright, going by old photos
- Wondering when I will get around to reading all the books I’ve amassed. At least a majority of these are digital. Saves on the dusting
- Eager to see “Phantom of the opera” again.
- Hankering for an OTG to try some stupendous baking recipes. Maybe I’ll get one for my birthday
Okay, folks. There ends my “stream of consciousness” style musings. Oh! The art of happiness!
Do share one or three of your own shades of life in the comments.
Go on. Enrich my life!
57 comments
You are such an inspiration Vidya! As much as I keep a gratitude journal nightly, I don’t know if I could do what you have done here! (and you do it – what daily?!)
I love #12 and #15 and of course #1 and #24.
What would I add? Anticipating an evening at home with my husband, or lunch or breakfast or supper on the patio with him. Receiving a text message or Facetime call from my kids. My shades are mostly family-colored these days.
See you when I return from my vacation!
Lori
Lori, it is a childhood habit. 🙂 Writing everything down in lists. Somewhere down the line it was a way for me to always be happy. Fact. 🙂 My shades revolve around family, friends and my community. And I love it.
I wish you a fantastic vacation! Hugs!
What a wonderful list Vidya! I’m not interested in reading Fifty Shades of Grey. There are too many wonderfully written books out there and I’ve read sooo many good ones this summer.
I love the vivid dream of someone you love who has died. Yes, I’ve had these of my grandparents. I’d add pampering my garden. It’s so wonderful to eat fresh veggies (although it’s not much of a garden this year due to hail, drought and heat). I, too, love to cook and read really good books. I try to comment as much as I can on blogs but oh… I really do not always have the time because of my other interests, too. I would add travel which I’ve been able to do this summer (hence not having the time for all things). And of course the time spent with my loved ones!
Always love coming hear to read what you have to say. It’s like having a great conversation with a friend!!
PS Thanks for the link love!!
You know, Betsy, I wrote this post in my head while riding back from school, after I dropped Vidur this morning. I could actually keep adding to this list – in fact, I did, in my book. Nothing like a really good book to bring on that sense of satisfaction. Oh, how I wish I could grow a garden! But those pigeons make it tough. I could of course string up a net to keep them away…but I don’t want to do that. 🙂 As I said, I’ve actually stopped minding their presence.
Thank you so much for commenting – you know I feel the same when I am by your blog!
Always a pleasure, Betsy!
Very well done ma’am.
I have not read the book but understand the author really had no writing background prior to rolling this out. Most of the critics seem to pick up on this. My guess is, she’s not too worried about it and every time she reads a bad review she says ‘cha-ching.’ Money in the bank………
I did read the Girl w/ the Dragon Tattoo trilogy and really liked it.
Great post, Vidya! I read the Cassandra Parker link (and laughed my butt off). Your “50 Shades of Life” list is so simple and sweet.
Oooh, Bill. That’s Stieg Larsson – I want to read the book. I recently reviewed a book by Keigo Higashino, dubbed by The Times as “The Japanese Stieg Larsson”.
Yeah, as I said, E L James is one happy woman and I applaud her for what she did. 😀 Just because a bunch of people are critical… Somehow, I never got around to reading the Twilight series.
Always appreciate your visit! 😀
Thanks, Pamela! She’s funny, isn’t she?
Vidya,
This is an awesome list post! I make lists of “things to do” but, I’m not that good at creating list posts. It is one of my least favorite types of writing but that said, I enjoy reading them!
I too have no desire to read 50 Shades of Gray. The subject matter doesn’t appeal to me at all. I am reading a great book by Lynn McTaggert though – The Field.
🙂 Thank you, Angela! I am going to look for “The Field” I am list-crazy, so this is one of my favorite forms!
Vidya, I always have a smile on my face when I read your posts. You such an uplifting, inspirational writer and what a list. Super duper.
Still smiling.
Elle
xoxo
🙂 I love that, Elle. See what I wrote under the blog title? 😀 Thank you! I believe the little things become the big things…fact!
wonderful list Vidya!
I can somehow never really get down to building lists like these – guess I would just get lost in them 🙂
But yes I can relate to so many things here like your mom and missing her, or the coffee and the juice with Vidur…those are shades I can best relate to, among the many other. I guess that is what’s called the essence of life also. – isn’t it? A blend and mixture of things.
Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Thank you Harleena. I am also lucky to have a family that enjoys the “Do you remember” stuff. I am thankful for a good memory that remembers happy things. Yes, you’re spot on about the essence of life!
THanks for sharing Vidya – you’re not only good at compiling this list (I don’t know if I could up with 50 things:) but you write like a novelist with descriptions, emotion and color!
Mangos go great with anything but corn flakes – interesting! lol
Know what you mean by chocolate cakes – I have a chocolate tooth but still have never devoured an entire slice. I like to think if I nibble at it and only eat 75% of it, it’snot really like have eaten it:)
Not hating your friendly pigeon visitors and time management from Vidur – my favorites!
Vishnu, I am nuts about lists. I function that way. I cherish your compliment, thanks so much!
I too was surprised about the mango+cornflakes – very compatible 😀
I like your favorites, because they’re very significant for me, too!
Thank you – always enjoy your visits!
““`My Dear Sweet Zen Teacher,
Your 50 Shades of Life is SOOooo much more beautiful and enlightening than 50 Shades of Sh*t.
Oooooh, how I wish I could be your bread man and HUG you and kiss your soft cheek.
You thrill me everytime I click over here & make me SMILE.
I feel as if our two world have collided…& you make me a better human being.
Love Love Love. Always.
Your Fan,
K.
Oh, Kim! We will, one day, meet and hug and enjoy talking, talking, talking! I clicked a photo of the bread guy – will post it soon! Hugs – you know I love you, very much!
Hello my lovely friend. I haven’t read “Fifty Shades of Grey” and have no interest in reading it. I love to read a little “heat” now and then, but submissive anything turns me way off. As for your list of life….LOVED that! I think one of the things on my list, if I were to compose one, would be how important a few of my blog friends have become in my life. And you, my dear, would top that list. HUGSSS, Terri
Darling Terri. I’ve missed you. I agree with you on the ugh! to sub stuff. 😀 Real life is full of much nicer shades! I feel the same about my blogger friends too! I hope to meet you in this life! Hugs. Love you!
Wow, I loved this list. It makes me want to start a gratitude journal. I should do more of that.
I didn’t read the books either. I’m like you with movies, too, once they start getting a lot of hype, I tend to wait for them to come to Netflix or tv. 🙂
Ah, the mention of mangoes made me think of one of my favorite desserts–mangoes and sticky rice. Yum. Okay, that was off topic, but now that’s all I can think of!
😀 I understand totally. I love mangoes too – raw and ripe – all varieties. I am making a rice dish with raw mango – spicy. Then we’ll have ripe mango for dessert. Not at all off-topic. I just wish you were here to lunch with us. Then we could spend a lazy afternoon in the verandah with coffee (or tea – from Darjeeling) and watch the pigeons. Or the sunshine.
I’ll be right there…in spirit anyway!
tht’s a very sweet post; may life give you more and more brighter shades to cherish always 🙂
Ah, thank you, Priya! May I wish you the same? 🙂
blah fifty shades, that chic is laughing her ass all the way to the bank. I’m a big laurel k hamilton fan (merry gentry series) and so i should have an interest in 50 shades, but i really have no interest in reading it. I’ve missed you girl! i’ve been swamped, which is good, in a bad way. lol. i just spent most of last night and this morning deciphering why my design wouldn’t load on a client’s site. you’re right about sleeping on it girl. i did much better this morning and got it working.
and you need to send me some of that coffee. mine is just not doing it for me.
Hey Vanita, great seeing you at Vidya’s!
I enjoyed 50 Shades (are there any guys reading this post?)
I’ve also read a single Laura K. Hamilton book as well (long time ago, cant recall title, NOT Merry Gentry).
Anyway, the books don’t really compare, feels like Apples + Oranges.
50 Shades is more like a pop-culture-ready, mass-appeal intro to BDSM light, complete with constant tension of the heroine over-analyzing ever aspect of the romance and the broken-needing-to-be-redeemed love-interest.
The sex scenes are pretty good, her lack of writing prowess is generally balanced by her passion and emotion.
I used to make appreciation lists like this, but have recently switched it for appreciating as many moments during the day, as and while they happen, rather than mainly at the end or the beginning or end of the day.
Maybe I’ll combine ’em 🙂
Hey Vanita, great seeing you at Vidya’s!
I enjoyed 50 Shades (are there any guys reading this post?)
I’ve also read a single Laura K. Hamilton book as well (long time ago, cant recall title, NOT Merry Gentry).
Anyway, the books don’t really compare, feels like Apples + Oranges.
50 Shades is more like a pop-culture-ready, mass-appeal intro to BDSM light, complete with constant tension of the heroine over-analyzing ever aspect of the romance and the broken-needing-to-be-redeemed love-interest.
The sex scenes are pretty good, her lack of writing prowess is generally balanced by her passion and emotion.
I used to make appreciation lists like this, but have recently switched it for appreciating as many moments during the day, as and while they happen, rather than mainly at the end or the beginning or end of the day.
Maybe I’ll combine ’em 🙂
BDSM? Really? didn’t come across one review that mentioned that point. remove the BDSM and replace pop-culture with fantasy and you’ve got early merry gentry series Jason.
😀 Vanita! Yes, my coffee always does it for me. Better than 50 shades! You know, I feel good for the author EL James, too. But that is because I am extra-supportive towards women ;-). I ought to check out your merry gentry series.
Jason. Welcome Hugs to you! You put your finger on the spot (NO pun intended) – mass appeal! Ms.James is very very happy, as well she should be. Dream come true – imagine posting something as fan fiction and having most of the world loving it. That being said – the book was easy for me to speed-read. Repetitive freaks me out.
I’d love to read your lists. 😀
blah fifty shades, that chic is laughing her ass all the way to the bank. I’m a big laurel k hamilton fan (merry gentry series) and so i should have an interest in 50 shades, but i really have no interest in reading it. I’ve missed you girl! i’ve been swamped, which is good, in a bad way. lol. i just spent most of last night and this morning deciphering why my design wouldn’t load on a client’s site. you’re right about sleeping on it girl. i did much better this morning and got it working.
and you need to send me some of that coffee. mine is just not doing it for me.
Ey, Vanita – 50 shades has a very very comprehensive list of BDSM stuff. Ugh. 😀
Hi Vidya,
What a lovely post!
I loved the one about finding music on YouTube. I do this all the time with songs from when I was younger. With a lot of them, I don’t know the artist or the name and just have to enter words from the song, into the search box. It is a true delight when I find the song.
One of things I find interesting is being asleep, early on a Saturday morning and thinking it was a weekday. Of course, I then realise it is Saturday!
Hi Hiten! 🙂 Yeah, I am totally in love with YouTube. That weekday-weekend thing? Oh! I use an alarm on weekdays!
So happy to see you here!
You have such a wonderful community of people around you! People who really know you and notice you, and that’s beautiful. I’m so glad you shared your 50 Shades of Life!
Thank you, Emily! 🙂 I am busy watching your posts about your adventurous life! Hugs!
I think I would feel the same way about the book as you do. I’ve just heard too many people tell me it is poor writing. Still the author tapped into something that people want so kudos to her.
I love your list.
Exactly, Claudya. Good luck to her!
Thank you for loving my list – I love it too!
Oh, yes! The one about talking to my subconscious mind about a problem before going to sleep, then waking up with a fabulous (usually unbelievably simple and obvious) answer! I just love that!!!
Isn’t that lovely, Janet? 🙂 It always works for me. (Thank God)
Hope Vishnu does you and India proud. Is he from your home town then?
Love how you wrote this post. I have not read any of popular fiction. But I am all about the good every day life, and yours truly is!
Yes, Stasha, Vishnu is from where I am, too. And by the time I am replying to this, sadly he’s out of the Olympics. This one. 🙂 Good to see he and Paes went out fighting.
The good life. I love your title.
Vidya..Great post. I love your ‘ramblings’ that you are able to tie together…On your list, two stuck with me….and both to do with food….the first cup of fresh coffee in the morning…and the gooey, sinfully chocolate cake. Unlike you, I am a chocoholic…xxoo-Fran
Planning to make a chocolate cake, Fran. Finally found a mix that can be made in the microwave in one minute :D:D. My son says it might be easier to troop down to the bakery….but … the joy of creation.
I am going to be thinking of you – when I have the coffee and the cake!
Am I living on a different planet? So far I have escaped reading and/or seeing Twilight, The Hunger Games, The Fifty Shades of Grey and maybe another 50 books, I was simply not tempted but this might change now Vidya!
Of all those wonderful shades of your life #1 and #40 stick out: coffee and mangoes. Ah, the first cup of coffee in the morning, a brand new day ahead and the lovely fragrance of Arabica beans. And I have recently made a batch of mango chutneys of those beautiful yellow Alfonso (I still have to laugh out loud when remembering our mango conversation, what’s the name again: Absolom?!).
Have a great week, my dear friend!
🙂 Barbara, I’ve managed to miss the Twilight/The Hunger Games series too. There are so many wonderful books to read, so that’s quite alright!
One day, you and I are going to do 1 and 40. :-)I am drooling just reading about the mango chutney – love it. Yes…even if it is Absolom! That’s what I am going to call it from now on!
Hugs!
Wonderful anecdotes, Vidya. I love that a baby you held is an Olympian, how awesome is that?
Totally awesome, Alison. It feels fabulous to read all the praise…like a personal victory, you know? 🙂 So glad you’re here!
Vidya – Very nicely thought about post….i have heard enough of the book and can only see it is nothing but porn on paper…not sure why it has gained so much popularity, lot of criticisms and plenty of money for the author and distributors of course.
Hi Praveen! Porn makes a large part of the world go around. Criticism will always be there for anything that is done. But lucky EL James, the author 😀 Yes.
Vidya – Nicely thought of post and well written. I have heard enough of the book and from all I know it is just “porn on paper”.
I still cannot fathom the fact that it has made so much popularity and money for the author and distributors…nonsense at its best.
My colors and shades are:
Cigars on the patio with the guys (Cuban Brown)
Rich red wines over dinner with other couples (Burgundy Red)
Making love to my wife of 26+ years (Black with White Lace)
Welcome, Andrew! Your shades sound just wonderful. 🙂 Warms my heart to read them! Thank you for your presence here today.