Ok this may sound pathetically sad but this is the first time I've been tagged!

The Rules:
People who have been tagged must write their answers on their blogs and replace any question that they dislike with a new question formulated by them.
People who have been tagged must Tag at least 6 people to do this quiz and those who are tagged cannot refuse. These people must state who they were tagged by and cannot tag the person whom they were tagged by. Get it? Now spread the love.

If your lover betrayed you, what will your reaction be?Depends on what will impact him the most but mostly I'll give him a good verbal thrashing and then walk away in a flash, snap away all ties (common bank accounts, relationships, friendships)

If you could have a dream come true, what would it be?
Win a lot of money, not necessarily millions but enough to help me to stay loan-free, get an expensive degree maybe, shop guilt-free for some time, buy a lovely house somewhere between the mountains and the sea.

What would you do with a billion dollars?
Hmm... ALL of the above with the following additions - build libraries just for children, donate lots to my mom's charity, start a business/restaurant.

Will you fall in love with your best friend?
I did, once.

Which is more blessed: loving someone or being loved by someone?
Being loved. Anyday. I love too easily.

How long do you intend to wait for someone you love?
Did that only once in my life... may not do it again.

If the person you secretly like is attached, what will you do?
Attachments are a turn-off so my attraction might fade away.

If you could root for one social cause, what would it be?
Better quality of education, accessible to all.

What takes you down the fastest?
Positivity, confidence, honesty, clarity, having one's feet on the ground, going for what's fair and right, warmth

Where do you see yourself in 10 years time?
Happily married. Made my parents happy and proud. Raising my children to be good human beings. Owning a small or big business.

What’s your fear?
Parents dying all alone and helpless. Not being there for loved ones. Not having a fulfilling career.

What kind of person do you think the person who tagged you is?
Jaygee Honest, talented, idealistic and great company.

Would you rather be single and rich or married and poor?
Poor is not an option. "Married" is pretty much a reality. So Married but not going-to-remain-poor.

If you fall in love with two people simultaneously who will you pick?
The one who'll love me back.

Would you give all in a relationship?
Undoubtedly.

Would you forgive and forget someone no matter how horrible a thing he has done?
I have, a few times.

Do you prefer being single or in a relationship?
In a relationship.

Tags: www.anugem.blogspot.com, daysleeper

Recently, a friend commented on how turning 30 actually feels good because you feel so much more "evolved" as a person by then. I could not agree more when I reached the much-feared milestone last week. Here's a bullet-point list of the new evolved me:

1. I am... finally... okay about being me.
2. I feel like a happier person becuase I've finally realized that all I really want to be is to be a very happy person.
3. I value responsiveness and meaningful communication much more than I ever did in my twenties. Which is why I realize that the friendships I already have are much more worth the effort than the ones I want to foster.
4. I sense this inexplicable desire in myself to be taken seriously... and if I am not, I feel offended. There was a time when it did not matter!
5. I know age and patience are a package deal. But I think I am more impatient at 30 than I was before.
6. New pet peeves of the early 30s: Slow response time, tall claims, incompetence, lack of respect and tolerance, pretentiousness, bitchy people...uhhh i think that hasn't changed much now, has it.

Everyone has a role model??

Ever wondered why people need to know who your role model is? Actually, I have an issue with the framing of the question - it assumes you already have a role model. Recently, I cringed when I was asked this question in a class discussion that I was totally unprepared for. That was because for a really long period in my life... and now it covers close to half of my life... I have stayed away from declaring a role model.

Why? Simply because I don't get why I should set myelf for unnecessary disappointment, by pinning so much of hope and belief in something - an individual or institution. It is only human to fail other people, and even when it comes to institutions - they are run by a set of humans as well.

I have realized I am a happier person ever since I stopped idealizing the people I did. I was able to accept people as they are, forgive more and in the process love them for who they are. Also, I could understand people better, know and manage the pros and cons of my association and expectations.

As for all those people (and I have seen MANY of them) who idealize or worship or put social figures on a pedestal, do they have the right to wonder why the wrong leaders get elected or why their children are obssessed with imitating what they see on television?

And I may be trusted completely when I say this -- idealizing no only shackles and clouds one's judgement, it also makes one vulnerable and gullible. The disappointment may turn to complete apathy later.

Anyhoo, if people need to include that in questionnaires, they better include the "if" clause before assuming that everyone has a role model.

I am a hopelessly positive person. So when I moved to the US of A, I dreamt of succesfully replanting my old life into a new soil, metaphorically, of course. It wasn't long before I woke up and smelt the coffee... Noone wanted to hire an unknown Indian journalist, who didn't even go to J-school, had been a generalist all her career and was also not so clear about what her strengths were. My visa transfer was another story altogether.

But anyway, that's not what this is all about:

http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2008/08/07/journalists_go_to_india/

This just makes me feel a little better about not landing myself a job and focusing on doing my master's. Also, I do hope I can ride the wave back home.