Share the love…

Posted on February 13, 2012 | 15 comments

It is February and month of love. If you haven’t notice I have even changed the banner in my blog since the first of February to celebrate Valentine’s Day. I am a hopelessly romantic person and I have always wished that men were more romantic than they are. Anyway I can’t change that but at least my husband understands that romance is very important to me so he always makes sure that we have a great time during special occasions. Valentine’s is one of them. 

I know Valentine’s days has become so commercialised that it seems like buying the most expensive gift is the best way to express love to your loved ones but I am not in that bandwagon. For me the thought counts more, so no matter what he buys me, if he has put some thought into buying the gift, that is the best gift ever. 

I read somewhere that Valentine’s Day is a complete hype created by the candy companies, card companies and flower mongers to capitalise and make money on something that comes from the heart. I agree with that but then you can always be creative and not spend all that money anyway. 

I know all the advertisement on TV and papers are about making us spend lots of money on their products but believe in me, most women (I am saying most because I am sure some women have a different idea) will love a small gift like a box of chocolate or flowers for Valentine’s day just so you let her know how much you love her. I even told my husband that I don’t need a big bouquet of red roses as they are triple the price on Valentine’s Day than any other day. He can always buy me that bouquet on some others days when it is not as expensive. 

I think the best gift for your partner can be something you can make with lots of love. I made a scrap book with photos and memories of our time together one time. It was very personal and it didn’t cost me much but I spent lots of time making sure that every page reflected our happiness. Another thing I have done is made heaps of small cards with message which can be used later. Like a card said “Today is the time for you to get a massage. Exchange this coupon for a kiss and massage”. It was really fun as I gave this to him last valentine. Also Valentine ’s Day cupcake is awesome idea too which I did last year. It was cheap and personal as I put his name in the cupcake  🙂

I know not everyone is lucky to have their Valentine close to them so make sure if you are planning to send something, do in time so it reaches your loved one for the day. We have been through that. Our first ever Valentine’s days as a couple, we spent apart. But I remember it being on a weekend so we spent the whole day Skyping. I wanted to surprise him so I sent him a cake and flower through an online store. So he got that while we were online. I loved the expression on his face. 

But for him everything didn’t go as planned. He ordered a teddy bear and flower for me online. He didn’t tell me because he wanted to make sure it was a surprise. Unfortunately the company didn’t delivery it on that day. So he had to tell me and I had to follow up with the company. They messed it all up (never apologized) and delivered it two days later. I was really angry with the company as they charge arms and legs on Valentine’s Day for those items. But I was really happy just to know that my then fiancé had put an effort to make sure our first Valentine’s was special. 

I know some people may argue against celebrating Valentine’s Day. If I love my partner 365 days of the year and buy flowers occasionally then why do I have to show it only on that date. My answer to them is, as a gift given to any person on March can’t be considered a Christmas gift or having a turkey in June doesn’t make it Thanksgiving, in the same way Valentine’s Day is in February even though you like it or not. You can argue all you like but I am sure your partner may not have the same idea as you do. You can surprise the one you love with a romantic gesture on some other day throughout the year but do it on this day as well if that makes a difference to your partner. If you both agree not to celebrate, then that is a different story. 

Last year we celebrated our first Valentine’s day together. It was really a treat as it felt so good to wake up in the morning and wish him Happy Valentine than waiting for him to wake up and Skyping with all the time difference. Anyway we went to Sydney tower for dinner and I couldn’t ask for more. He bought me flowers and made me smile the whole day. A perfect day. 

Also last year he uploaded this special photo on his profile in Facebook and I couldn’t believe my eyes. The photo was taken when we were mocking around during our photo shoot. I just loved it and that is the most romantic gesture ever. Normally he doesn’t like pubic display of affections unlike me but he just melted my heart with this photo.

This year, we are planning to go out for dinner as well. Will update with more details later. Let me know what you are planning for Valentine ’s Day. Also if you have some great gift ideas, do share. 

Hope this Valentine ’s Day is the best you ever had!!!

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Posted in Valentine's Day

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Hoina, timi haru duii jana ko job nai ghumna ho ki ke ho? I envy…

Posted on February 12, 2012 | 10 comments

That was the comment one of our friends left on Facebook in one of our albums. It translates to “Is travelling around the job for the both of you?  I envy…”

Normally whenever we go out, I try to capture the day in photos. I believe they are the best memories I can have (I love taking photos). Normally, I upload those photos in Facebook especially for my family and AS’s family to see. One of the regular people on our Facebook is my MIL and my dad. They just love to look at our photos which assure them that we are happy and healthy in Australia. Also those photos are viewed by only a selected group of my and AS’s friends.

Anyway the above comments make me wonder if Facebook really portrays real life ? Because I believe most of us post only happy photos or events of our life in Facebook which doesn’t mean that we don’t have any sad or bad days. But still when people look at our Facebook, especially with the new timeline features, all they see is our holidays pics, going out pics and happy pics which makes them think that our life is all happiness and joy.

If you follow my posts, you know that I normally try to do something on the weekends so I have lots of photos of weekends in my Facebook. So if you view my timeline, it looks like all I have been doing in my life is travelling. So I do understand why our friend left that comment. I have had similar comments before.

“You are so lucky. You always seem to have time for holidays and that’s how ones life should be.”

“I want to holiday with you, take me in your suitcase.”

I even have people asking for holiday advice and suggestions when they are planning their holidays.

I don’t mind these comments and I am happy to help anyone with ideas when I can.

But then there are these people who think my life is all gold and glitters. That is what I don’t like. Like everyone around me, I work very hard and try to save money to fulfil my dream which is to travel and see the world. Most of my friends have different dreams than I have i.e. all Australians dream about owning their own house and they are working towards it.

Anyway back to Facebook, I have read lots of surveys that say that people are depressed more these days looking at the happy life of their friends and family in Facebook. Also here is an article  on how other people’s happy statues are affecting people and making them miserable.

I find it a bit stupid, since you should know better if you are a Facebook user. Do you really share all the misery in Facebook? (I know there are some exceptions). If your answer is NO then you should never be upset with what you read and see in Facebook. Everyone has their share of happiness and sadness since no one’s life is perfect. That is what you have to always remember . People are always living their life as they want for a long time, it is just that Facebook is making it easier to share and show the photos of your special moments. For some reason if it does bother you, the best thing to do is to stop looking at that particular person’s profile. There are lots of settings in Facebook which will allow you to hide the profile and activity of a person you don’t want to know about.

I, for one am an active user of Facebook and post photos there but I have never been depressed looking at the photos of my friends and family. I actually get inspired by them, for example I have wanted to go Sky diving for a long time but haven’t booked yet. Now I can see so many of my friends are doing it and looking at those photos really helped me to make my decision on doing it for sure, and soon. Also I know lots of new information from these photos like people getting married and having babies so I am happy to see all these.

And it is so true “Absurd as it may sound, the friends whom you envy may be envying you just as much!”

The study by Cyber psychology, Behavior and Social Networking found that people who spent less time socializing with friends in cyberspace and more time socializing with them in real life were less likely to report they were unhappy. So go out and have real good time with your real friends.

If you have any story to share regarding how Facebook affects people or you, please let me know.

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Posted in Personal

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Do women have it better?

Posted on February 10, 2012 | 20 comments

I am all for women’s rights and everything that goes with that. Then sometimes, things happen in my life, I wonder if that is true that women have it better. 

This morning I went to a service station because my car’s tyres needed some air. Normally I put the air myself as most service stations have a machine where you can enter the tire pressure and off you go. But this particular service station had an old style air pump which I didn’t know how to use. I parked the car and I was just looking at how to use the machine. I must have looked dumb and confused so out of nowhere this guy came and asked me if I needed help. I definitely did, so I said yes. He was kind enough to help me and fill air in all the four tyres.  I thanked him and drove off. I was glad there was someone to help me otherwise I would have spent a while on working out how the machine worked.

 This situation made me think, if I was a guy trying to work out that machine in the service station, would I still have been offered help? 

Because I remember a conversation with my friends (guys) about how people are so nice on the road these days that they give you way when you are trying to change lanes or slow down when you are trying to overtake. And they told me it doesn’t happen to them and I am getting those purely because I am a woman. I disagreed with them then but now it makes me wonder if they were right. In their words “Women are nice to women and men are nice to women so either way, women win”. 

So here are the 10 things I get during my day-to-day life which I am not too sure I get it because I am woman. Please let me know if it is normal or I am getting that because I am a woman. 

  1. Most of the time people smile at me, both men/women when our eyes meet while walking on the street.
  2. Strangers offers me a drink when I go out for a night out. If it is a club, guys come and dance with me and compliments your dress, hair etc. (I think I know the answer already).
  3. Once on a rainy day, this guy came from a shop with an umbrella and helped me cross the road even though he was not walking in the same direction as I was.
  4. A cab driver didn’t take money from me because I was nice to him. All I did was have a conversation during the ride. I insisted on paying but he insisted on not taking the money.
  5. When shopping, the cashier lets me get off with a few cents and says “its ok, don’t worry” while I am digging in your bag for change.
  6. When I am cold at work, everyone was happy to lend me their jumper (guys and gals).
  7. It’s easy to ask for direction when I get lost as everyone seems to be willing to help. I even have some people who walked with me to my destination even if they were walking towards the opposite direction. I couldn’t thank him enough.
  8. Many strangers request me to be their friend in Facebook. 
  9. When I was single, I felt that even my good/close friends were trying to hit on me even though I made it clear to them that I wasn’t looking for a relationship anytime soon.
  10. When we (friends) go out for lunch or dinner, guys in the group offer to pay for my share. I make sure the next time I pay for the meal but the guys insist on paying most of the times.

Tell me your opinion.

20 Comments

Posted in Social Issue

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How to make Puri/Swari

Posted on February 9, 2012 | 12 comments

Ingredient

  • 2 cup of  Flour
  • 1  cup of Water
  • Ghee to deep fry

Method

  • Mix flour and water to make dough. Knead well till you get uniform dough. Dough should be soft so we can make thin puri.
  • Cover the dough with a plate and leave it for a few hours.
  • Take a small amount of dough and roll with a rolling pin to make a circle about 2 mm thick and 10 – 12 cm in diameter.
  • Roll a few of them first before heating the oil as it doesn’t take too long to cook the puri.
  • Heat the oil in a deep pan. There should be enough oil in the pan so the puri will sink. To check if the temperature of the oil is right, put a small amount of dough in the oil. If it raises immediately to the top, it is ready for the puri
  • Put the puri in the hot oil and use a basting spoon to press the puri slightly. It will help puri to puff up.
  • Once it is cooked put them on a kitchen towel to take out the excess ghee.
  • If you want hard crunchy puri, do not stack then on top of each other.
  • If you want soft Swari (a type of soft Nepali puri), then stack them on top of each other.
  • Server with with any curry or it can be enjoyed with tea.


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Posted in Foodie, Recipe

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Lock it away

Posted on February 8, 2012 | 10 comments

In life small things give you pleasure. But at the same time, sometimes we are so blinded by the big picture we miss small things. 

So I am writing my experience from last weekend about my own failure to notice minute things. 

Last weekend, I went for a drive to NSW south coast, one of the magnificent drives near the sea. It was with AS and our friends, DS, DR and DS’s parents who are visiting from Nepal. I just loved the drive and had passed via that road many times to go to Wollongong.  One of the best parts of the drive is to pass through the Sea cliff bridge. You will agree with me that, the view is just breath-taking and so many TV ads for cars are shot there.

While we were there, her parents mentioned that, they saw in one of the TV serials in Nepal that there is a bridge where you write your name on a padlock and lock it on the railings at the side of the bridge. Then you throw the key into the sea with all you bad luck. As they had seen that, they wanted to go there and do the same. 

But to my surprise I had never heard about that before. In my mind, I was trying very hard to think if I had seen or heard or read anything like that but nothing came to mind. Thanks to the latest phone, we have internet on the go so AS Goggled it. To our surprise it said it is in the south cost in Seacliff Bridge and luckily we were only a few kilometres away.

So we parked the car and started walking to the bridge. I have driven over that bridge so many times before but never saw the padlocks so we thought of asking a few people where on the bridge, it is. Surprisingly even the local people had no idea what we were talking about. Anyway, we walked towards the bridge and to our surprise, there they were. Lots of padlocks from the start to end of the bridge and I had never noticed them before. I guess I was so mesmerised by the view that I failed to look at the railings with their padlocks on the bridge. 

I started examining many locks there. Some of them had names of the bride and groom with their wedding dates or husband or wife with their anniversary year and wedding dates. It was so wonderful to see so many couples showing their love. Then there were some with names of the whole family or names of mates. Also I found some locks with names of people who had passed away. 

Once I came back home I had to know what that was all about so again I asked my good friend Google and found the following information from website click here   for more info.

It was started by a couple, John and Fay who lived in Helensburgh and  saw something similar in Cinque Terre,Italy when they visited Europe. In 2006 John wanted to surprised his wife on their 40 years anniversary so he engraved their names with their wedding date on a padlock and locked it on that bridge. So romantic!!! And now there are so many of them following their foot steps. 

One the way back to the car, we saw one more amazing thing, a tree with thongs (sandals) pinned to it. I am guessing that would be a one of its kind. 🙂

Here are some pics from the day

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Posted in Australia

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