Delectable Detriment

It's been a while...

2010-04-30T23:50:24Z

.... and this post is brought to you by THIS!!!

This is our new house! We closed on it today! & I'm in love! It's a 4 bedroom, 3 bath with an office & a three car garage. It's in impeccable condition & it was a regular sale - not a shortsale or foreclosure. We considered both the latter but wanted a house that had good feelings & memories - it's less than two years old but it's been filled with love & laughter & children & faith. The previous owners moved because they had to take a better job & were happy to hand it over & left us a lovely note. No anger or bitterness or thwarted hopes; of which there are an abundance in this market.

We're so excited. Jer will be taking the 4th bedroom to be his man cave & I get the office to be converted into a library. The house has lots of windows so lots of sunshine & the house has 12 foot ceilings - it makes it very airy & open. I forgot to mention where it is. It's in Winter Haven - poor Jer will have to drive an hour (he said he didn't mind for this house) but I'll just have to drive 15 minutes!

We have no furniture in yet, so I won't put up a lot of pics of empty rooms that all look alike, but my other favourite pic is of Jer in the kirtchen. Jer's 5'9" or 5'10" but the ceilings dwarf him in this pic.

I am in India

2009-05-17T23:27:24Z

And I am happy

The Scarlet Harlot is Dead. Long Live the Scarlet Harlot!!

2009-04-19T08:04:40Z

So, today we traded in my piece-o'-crap Daewoo. I love that car, she was my first, but she had to go! The air conditioning died about a year ago & fixing it would've cost more than the value of the car (at the state she was in, we were told that top dollar was $900 private party, $600 trade in). So, we went to a Toyota dealership in Brandon.

Now, Jer's fam is obsessed with Honda's, but I came from a Toyota family. The lovely mame_maebdh taught me how to drive on her Prius & I loved the Corolla we rented back in December. To be fair, I test drove a Civic & then a Corolla right after. & to me, there was no question in the handling of the car. The Civic was a smoother, more powerful ride, but I felt completely out of control in it. The Toyota handled like I was a part of her.

So, if you're ever thinking of getting a Toyota while in the Brandon area, here's my $0.02. DO NOT got to Courtesy Toyota. Tis a misnomer!!! Our sales rep was this Philipino lady who was incredibly rude, and I kept trying to give her, and her limited English, the benefit of the doubt, but it was unbearable. When we started talking numbers, she brought in a Sales Manager who was also rude, dismissed our offer out of hand, and treated us like an inconvenience.

So, after lunch we drove all the way to Wesley Chapel. Had a delightful sales rep, named Robert. Then we started talking numbers. They were willing to give me $1,000 for my Daewoo!!!! plus a few other perks. Jer beat them down to a number I never believed we could get & then went to sign the papers. Then we found out that Robert had messed up on teling us the warranty & said it was a 7 yr, 100K mile drivetrain, while it was just 5-yr, 60K mile. Things came to a screeching halt then, because I don't like surprises. 20 minutes later we had a 2-yr maintainance package trown in to seal the deal & poor Robert was getting a taking to from the store manager.

But the bottom-line is, I'm now the proud owner of a brand new 2009 Toyota Corolla S!! She is so purtyful! I'm in love! We'll pick her up tomorrow fully buffed, washed & gassed up!! This is the first new car I'm owning & I'm ridiculously happy! which probably explans my inability t sleep at 4 am :)

Wedding Pics!!

2009-01-28T13:41:36Z

David Henline, our amazing photographer, honored us by putting our wedding pics on his website as one of his portfolios.

So, you can see my wedding pics here!! Turn up the volume & hit slideshow :)

This year for Christmas, Santa gave me....

2009-01-06T02:06:16Z

.... a husband! A real live one!! He smells nice & is cuddly & lets me monopolize the Wii and watches Golden Girls with me despite despising the show (and even bought me the DVD gift set of all the seasons!!), and put up with the Bridezilla I turned into an... the list goes on. It's a very nice Christmas present, I must say... I rather like it. And marriage is something I'd definately recommend to everyone. HEre's the only semi-decent pic of us taken by our friends & fam - the professional shots come back in a couple of months... & no, I won't LJ-cut it ;)

The wedding was small, immensley stressful & not something I plan on repeating - not even in India... We're only going to have a reception there. The wedding & the surrounding days were full of small miracles... Mom & Dad's flight from Chicago to here on the 23rd was cancelled due to weather & we were told they couldn't come to FL until the 25th night, but by the Grace of God we were able to fine inexpensive tix to get them to us on the 24th morn & I had my parents for Christmas. The dress that was made to my measurements, but that I hadn't tried on until 3 days before the wedding fir perfectly. Publix cancelled our cake the day before our wedding, but we were able to fix it (though we missed our rehearsal dinner to do so) & they threw in an extra tier for free to make up for it. This is what it looked like. I got the Indian cake toppers online.

I was given some lovely gifts & I had family & friends there that I didn't dare hope to have... And best of all, I have Jer. It's been a good Christmas...

Mailing Addresses needed for Invitations to Indian wedding!

2008-12-03T15:31:52Z

If any of you would like an invitation to my wedding in India, could you please send me an address & a mundane/IRL name(s) to swapricot at gmail dot com

Thank you!!

Hugs!

ichthyus @ 2008-12-03T09:21:00

2008-12-03T14:21:43Z

http://cs02.ewedding.com/v30/welcome.php/jeremyswapna/

:)

Mawwige!

2008-12-02T17:30:45Z

I'm getting married in 25 days! Yes! It's true! & No! I'm not pregnant! Jer & I threw a lot of ideas around factoring in the fact that my rents live in India & most of his fam is settled in Canada - plus the fact that we both hate the 2 hr drive we hafta do to see each other - plus a number of other of reasons & we decided on the 27th of December.

Yes, I know it's crazy - but this is going to be a tiny, tiny wedding, & the big one's gonna be in India in May - you all get invitations to the latter - if you want an invite, send me your mailing address.

Well, while this one started off being small, it's kinda snowballed - we have a caterer & a cake & a pastor & a church & a hall for the reception & a dress for me & saris for my bridesmaids - still have to rent the guys' tuxes & we're talking to a florist on Saturday... is there anything I'm forgetting??

the downside of this is that I have to quit my beloved job working for the best boss evar! I've interviewed at a lab in Lake Alfred (one of UF's extension facilities) & have a job, pending funding - which the prof finds out about in a couple of weeks. So if all works out, Jer & I will be living in Lakeland or Plant city.

So, this is why I've been MIA from LJ.

Huggles to you all!

Lolz!

2008-11-05T21:35:58Z

more animals

Going Right - stolen from rhona

2008-10-15T17:17:17Z

Post 10 things that are going right in your life right now. I don't care how small. You're happy with your cup of coffee. You saw a flock of geese flying over. ANYTHING. Things that make you happy. Things that make you smile. No pressure.

1. Jeremy - a wonderful, considerate, loving person who has seen all my psychoses & issues & idiocies & STILL wants to spend the rest of his life with me!

2. A job I adore with supportive, fun co-workers

3. I'm re-reading Harry Potter! nuff said! (AND I bought books 1-6 on ebay for a grand total of $16.99 in near-new condition!)

4. An ex who's actually paying back some of the money he owes me & a steadily shrinking credit card balance that MAY *crosses fingers* be paid off this month, for the first time in 2 years!!

5. An awesome friend (who gets her own point cos of how awesome she is) who drags me out to movies & plays & food even when I'm anti-social & grumpy - yup, Daisy, it's you!

6. My facebook app games & other pc games that I'm totally, pathetically hooked on, that help me unwind!

7. Lazy week-end breakfasts with hazelnut coffee, the man I love and the sun streaming in through the windows

8. A freezer full of yummy food my mom cooked me during her whirlwind trip to FL with dad - proof that my rents love me

9. The ability & resources to buy/make people I love, gifts that make their faces light up

10. The love, comfort, joy, reassurance, hope & promises provided daily by my Heavenly Father!

I'm tagging all of you to do this! You'll feel so much better about your life by the end of it!

For dreamplum & shatfat!!

2008-08-28T18:21:34Z

ichthyus @ 2008-06-21T18:35:00

2008-06-21T22:38:23Z

I can has promise ring?

This is mine & this is his!

</div>

PS

2008-06-19T00:47:39Z

Go watch College: The Musical! Yes, it costs $30 is you're not a student or a senior, but it's completely worth it! Also, this week-end the plan is to go watch THIS!!! Jer & I have been meaning to go watch it for the last 4 weeks, but had too much on our plates... This is its last weekend in Tampa & I have the perfect sari to wear for it (black with flame colours) & so tis imperitive we attend it!

Yet another long over-due update

2008-06-19T00:40:23Z

it feels like all I ever do is post long-over-due updates anymore. I promise I'll try to be better..

So, what have I been upto lately... it's been an unbelievably good couple of months... I started a new job in April - I now study chlamydia - it's a fascinating little beastie & Daisy gave it to me right as I started the job. I hope someday to have the clap & herpes at well, but for now, they're not in the budget.

In other news, for the first time ever I'm seeing *gasp* an Indian boy! I know, I know - I've become so conventional/traditional I'm now officially boring. Jeremy's actually Guyanese Indian, a voice engg, lives in tampa, comes complete with a Shih Tzu named Wubbie (who's taken to me so well, he's actually bitten Jer a few times for getting between himself & me) - the Wubster is very popular & has his own myspace & facebook - ladies, look him up... guys, eh! he's not really interested.

</div>

So, yeah - that's me over the last 2 months - new job, new haircut (James is fabulous dah-ling! And works at Supercuts!), new tat, newboy, new BSL (Bastard Love Child - a names I gave the Wubster in honor of theogator99 who called her lappie that), new epiphanies (my happiness & my family's are not mutually exclusive), new plans, hopes, dreams, aspirations... the whole nine yards... Bizarre, huh?

Getting Inked: Part Deux

2008-04-12T03:47:59Z

I got a new tattoo today! I loves it! It's the Hebrew letter for "YHWH" (Yahweh) surrounded by a crown of thorns. Look at pic!

Look at second pic!

Funny Meme stolen from Lauren

2008-03-30T01:26:18Z

Don't read ahead, just answer the following questions with the first thought that comes to mind. Then read what each answer means at the end.

1. You are walking in the woods. You are not alone. Who are you with? Jesus (I swear that was my first thought)

2. You are walking in the woods. You see an animal. What kind of animal? A Stag... with large, beautiful antlers

3. What interaction takes place between you and the animal? He stares at me, and I stare back, frozen in place. Then he turns & walks away.

4. You walk deeper in the woods. You enter a clearing, and before you is your dream house. How big is it? 3000sq ft?.

5. Is your dream house surrounded by a fence? Nope - nothing

6. You enter the house. You walk into the dining room and see the dining table, what is on it? A beautiful place setting, but no food

7. You exit the house and a cup is on the ground, what kind is it? A heavy glass goblet

8. What do you do with the cup? Pick it up & carry it with me.

9. You walk to the edge of the property and you find yourself standing at a body of water: what is it? A large pond

10. How will you cross the water? I swim across (which is a bit of fantasy as I can't swim).

After you copy and paste into a new entry, and answer ALL the questions above you can look down here.

|
|
|
|
|
|
V

The ANSWERS

1. The person who you are walking in the woods with is the most important to you.

Ummmm I would like to think so, but I don't always act like it.

2. The size of the animal is representative of your perception of the size of your problems in your life.

Large?? with pointy antlers?

3. The severity of the interaction you have with the animal is representative of how you deal with your problems.

I stare at them petrified until they leave?

4. The size of your dream home is representative of the size of your ambition to solve your problems.

3000 sq ft??

5. A lack of a fence is indicative of an open personality. People are welcome at all times. The presence of a fence indicates a closed personality. You'd prefer people not drop by unannounced.

that makes sense.

6. If your answer did NOT include food, flowers, or people, then you are generally unhappy.

Blargh!

7. The durability of the material with the cup is made of is representative of the perceived durability of your relationship.

With whom? Or would this be all relationships? They're fragile? & transparent? (the latter could be because I've always suffered from a bad case of verbal diarrhea)

8. What you did with the cup is representative of your attitude. Attidude towards what? I take things with me? I'm possessive? Territorial? That fits

9. The size of the body of water is representative of the size of your sexual desire. small & shallow?

10. The way you cross the water is representative to how easy or hard you expect your life to be. I can't actually swim so does that mean I percieve life to be unsurmountable?

ichthyus @ 2008-03-23T08:42:00

2008-03-23T12:42:49Z

Christ is Risen!

Theatre anyone?

2008-03-21T15:38:26Z

So, there's a few shows coming to G'ville that I would like to see. One is called JIGU! Thunder Drums of China & sounds like a Chinese version of Stomp! which I adored. The least expensive tix for those are about $20 each on Ticketmaster and the show is on the 29th of March. The next is Diavolo which is a dance company at the same price running on the 3rd of April. The last is Chicago for about $40-$45 and running on the 11th & 12th of April.

So, anyone wanna go with me for any/all of these?

I have AWESOME friends!

2008-03-16T15:11:04Z

Thank you SO MUCH fatfred! I just recieved a print of Tsekil by haikujaguar from fatfred as an early birthday pressie! I loves!!!

It's been a pretty cool week-end... Friday night saw me at Stubbie's with Malika, Arthur, Scotty & David... it was crowded so we moved on to Market Street, which is a bar/club that plays 80's music & sells dirt-cheap Jello shots! Yeah, it was a good evening!

Last night M hosted a wonderful bbq for Daisy & me - the tandoori chicken was a bit charred on the outside & under-cooked on the inside (so it had to go in the oven to finish up) & I messed up the rice, but it was a lot of fun & I felt loved!

Reading Thoughts: I'm devastated to be on the last Tememraire book in publication at present - Empire of Ivory by Naomi Novik is the last one - it's far more gripping than the third book, Black Powder War, for which I'm glad. NN writes with humor & skill & her dragons have captivating personalities... Go read these books!

I think I'm in love!

2008-03-08T20:05:06Z

Lookee what I found!! Paperspine - This a book version of Netflix or Blockbuster online!!! I can has books!! I'm so excited I could throw up!

Blatherings...

2008-03-07T16:07:02Z

Tis hibernation weather as my mom would say... It's over-cast, rainy, dull & it would be wonderful to be home with a mug of hot chocolate laced with Kahlua... think an alcoholic mocha of sorts... however, I am at work, faced with the prospect of updating my lab notebook, that I haven't written in in over a week *sigh* However, I will soon be indulging in a yummy sammich from Roly Poly in the company of friends (that I coerced into ordering with me, to make the minimum order price)... I has good friends...

Last night found M & me driving around in the pouring rain (with bad wipers), heavy traffic & pitch dark to find Gainesville Pet Rescue so that we could pet animals... They moved it to this wierd area on Archer that involved a bit of off-roading (in my tiny Daewoo) to get there... so worth it, though... we're returning on Saturday...

& then, ofcourse, a stop at ABC on the way back for Amarula, Hypnotic, cigs & sangria (for M) & Kahlua, blackberry wine & chocolate truffles (for me)... We're supposed to go out dancing with friends tonight, but between spring break & the stormy weather, our plans are looking rather improbable...

The only reason I'm rambling on in this fashion is that I feel the need for an actual entry of sorts before my Reading Thoughs segment & I do so need to share about my current literary obsession!

Reading Thoughts: Daisy unceremoniously dumped the Temeraire Trilogy by Naomi Novik on me & said, "Read this!" last week... So, I started in on them... three chapters in, I was in tears & rapture... really good series set in the Napoleonic wars in a slightly alternate universe that included dragons.. Novik's writing style is captivating & she makes her characters intriguing & endearing... I'd higly recommend the books & intend to buy my own... She has an official Temeraire Website, with lots of interesting bits & JOY! She's also on livejournal as (surprise, surprise!) naominovik - first haikujaguar & now NN! The indulgence is too much!! also, The Aphorisms of Kherishdar are now out in hard copy. I plan on buying several & I'd highly recommend them to everyone else.

PS1 - tis my birthday in 10 days.

PS2 - amazon.com gift certs make great gifts for bibliophiles ;)

Which Mix of the Hogwarts Houses are You?

2008-03-02T00:36:03Z

Which Mix of the Hogwarts Houses are You?

You're a Slytherdor! You are a natural leader and have the personality to back it up. Often people are hesitant to approach you because they feel that you will reject them. You have a bit of a temper but most of the time you're able to keep it in check; however when you are really pissed off, people better watch out. In your life you have a lot of things you want to accomplish, whether it's for yourself or another cause. You can be determined in trying to pursue this goal but your morals are too steady to allow you to be absolutely ruthless. You don't let many people know this, but you actually like the idea of chivalry (but you try to keep this buried) and you try to live your life with honor. You don't back away from tough decisions. Your weakness is that sometimes you can be arrogant, you forget about the 'lesser people' and this leads you to underestimate your opponents. With the charisma of a Gryffindor and the ambition of a Slytherin you can be great in life!
Take this quiz!

Quizilla |
Join

| Make A Quiz | More Quizzes | Grab Code

Poetry & my Grandfather

2008-02-26T17:22:10Z

Daddy emailed Preeth & me today with a poem that my grandfather had written almost 20 years ago. It was dated the 15th of August which is the Indian independence day... I just wanted to share...

INDEPENDENCE or DEPENDENCE

A land flowing with milk and honey

Rich in culture, great in wisdom and knowledge

Which gave birth to Ahimsa and the Buddha,

Blessed by nature's bounty, with gold and diamonds;

With green fields and flowing rivers

Snowy mountains and lush valleys,

Where art flourished under the benevolent rich

This was our Bharat.

Unity in diversity is what was dreamt of

But strife-torn with petty jealousies

Between landholders big and small;

Zamindars, Rajahs, nawabs and Sovereigns

Holding absolute sway over their petty possessions.

No wonder the ‘Trader’ who came in

To earn riches through his cunning bargains

Was tempted by our strifes,

To seize power and rule the land.

How he succeeded is a tale of woe

Of blood, sweat and tears,

Toppled powers, broken kingdoms,

Thumbs chopped off lest competition lose profits.

The great awakening came

But powerless was the Indian Elephant

Before the roaring lion of Britain ;

With its brutish armies and roaring cannon.

Uprisings ruthlessly put down by animal strength.

But what the trader had brought in

To smoothen his ways, the missionary,

Taught the boiling millions about non-violence.

Of the ONE who talked about

'Turning the other cheek' - none other than the Son -of-Man

Jesus Christ, Himself an Asiatic.

Quick to learn from Him was

The 'Naked Fakir of India '

As he was referred to by his tormentors.

Mahatma, as we endearingly know him

Blood, sweat and tears, but of honest toil now.

The result of patient bearing oppression

Firm in one's conviction never retaliating.

What then could stand against SOUL POWER?

Mighty imperialism bowed down.

India was "free" once more.

But is it really free?

What of power politics as we know it ?

"Parties" in place of princes.

The unity dreamt of lost in calls

Of "narrow domestic walls"

Linguistic states, partisan demands

Communal clashes, religious strifes.

Khalistan demand ! Gorkhaland demand !

Various claims ! Where are we heading ?

Our land partitioned off, was surrounded

By sword rattling, belligerent neighbours

A haven for refugees, but ourselves refugees

From our own petty passions and selfish desires.

Can we help ourselves? Nay I doubt it.

Shall we appeal to Mary's Son once again ?

Yes ! That will be best !

For He is none other than'

The Beloved SON of GOD - mighty to save.

-G Isaac Sathiaraj

( 15th August, 1988 )

</div>
Reading Thoughts: I just finished The Voyage of the Dawn Treader & have moved on to The Silver Chair in the Chronicles of Narnia. I came across a quote I loved in the former.

"Oh, Aslan," said Lucy. "Will you tell us how to get into your country from our world?" — "I shall be telling you all the time," said Aslan. "But I will not tell you how long or short the way will be; only that it lies across a river. But do not fear that, for I am the great Bridge Builder."

Domesticity & the Swapna: a sad contradiction

2008-02-25T16:41:12Z

As most of you know, I'm remarkably challenged when it comes to the most simple of domestic tasks. As I mentioned in a previous post, I was rapidly running out of clothes & having firmly forbidden myself from just buying new packs of socks & underwear (my previous solution) I decided that this week-end was to be laundry day... yeah, that didn't happen on Saturday (what did happen on Saturday was a trip to the mall for more yummy, nice-smelly Bath & Body Works products that my budget did not need & greasy chinese food that my hips didn't need either).

See, when I lived with T (yes *gasp* I lived with a man I was not married to - half my FB readers will have a conniption over this & the other half will gleefully judge me & I really don't care anymore), he did almost all the laundry & dishes, vacuumed & even had coffee brewing for me when I woke up... After over a year of that, I suddenly found myself left to my own devices & the result was not pretty. The saddest occurence was when Preeth & Chris came to visit & spent the day cleaning my house while I was at work (I cannot thank you enough for that, guys).

So, back to this week-end. Sunday morning was the time I scheduled for this great laundry escapade. Well, other people had the same idea & since I live in a tiny apartment building, the laundry room has only 2 washers & driers, all of which were full. Now a more industrious person would've gone to a laundromat. I ate icecream & took a nap.

Sunday evening & now the situation's desperate... Laundry room empty, good, clothes in washer... 30 minutes later clothes out of washer & into drier. Drier refuses to accept money. Oh, well - onto next drier... which also refuses to accept money. Ummm... WTF? so, I have a basket full of wet laundry & no idea what to do... In India we had clotheslines... Here I had my couch! So, I race upstairs (20 minutes in which to figure out what to do with the laundry & get dressed for church & try to retain my sanity!).. socks on the couch, bras over the shower curtain rod, towels on chairs, undies on bed... This is when I realised another very important feature of driers! They take away lint!! all my clothes are covered in the shite...

You know, I've just realized that I spent the last 20 minutes documenting laundry... with Malika reading over my shoulder... & mocking me... I have no life... I'm going to go cry myself to sleep now.... in the cell culture room... in a biohazard bag... sucking on a scalpel handle...

Reading Thoughts: I'm currently going through The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C S Lewis. Lewis is far by my favourite author & the yardstick by which I measure all other authors. What grieves me greatly is the fact that the books seem so much shorter now that I'm older & I go through one a day. Ah, well! Good stuff - I'd highly recoment them

Musings

2008-02-23T01:08:52Z

I witnessed a horrible accident today. I was driving down Main St (heading to the UPS Customer Center to pick up a package) when the SUV about 2 cars in front of me flipped over. I don't even think there was another vehicle involved. All the windows blew out & the car virtually disintegrated. It ended right-side-up facing oncoming traffic. Thankfully no one hit her. People went running to help & call 911. I wanted to help but felt completely impotent. Despite having been in the health sciences I haven't as much as a first-aid class under my belt. So I prayed for the driver & kept driving...

... I called Preeth for comfort. I was scared to even be driving. I got to the UPS place & found that the package they left me notes for wasn't even for me. It was for the previous resident of my apartment - someone named Sasha Minor - they only put the initials on the UPS slip (SM - which happen to be mine as well)... I was slightly frustrated, but I have this firm belief (comes of being Indian, I guess) that things happen for a reason... So I thought ver my week...

I've bitched & moaned & complained the week away... My car got towed (didn't focus on the fact that I have amazing friends, I & M who helped me get her back), I lost Malika's cat thrice (well, two of the times it was mostly E's fault *grins*), but did I remember that M was incredibly sweet about it & Pepper did come back every time? I felt slightly abandoned by friends on Saturday night, but I did have a good evening... The administrative duties I dealt with this week were a pain, but did I remember that I got some awesome research accomplished? I think mayhaps this accident I witnessed was God's way of poking me & saying, "Dude! Your life isn't that sucky! You might want to calm the hell down!"

And I am grateful.

Warning! The following are my opinions on my faith & you might not wish to read further if you disdain "organized religions"

Reading Thoughts: I'm still drifting through The Aphorisms of Kherishdar. Nesthae was my favourite until I can across Pauser. Pauser is described as a verb that means "to allow what must be, to be; to acquiesce without rancor, resentment or struggle. Often mistakenly translated by aliens with an implication of victimhood" And I understand & relate... See, I grew up in India. I know all about the feeling of resignation... of impotent submission... of having no other options... but Pauser is a term I came to experience & understand very recently through two media - my Faith & my Family. I think there are two very important factors necessary for Pauser to occur - love & hope. Both are concepts that I am growing to understand better every minute I spend with my God and the people I love, primarily my family. See, impotent resignation, learned helplessness occurs when there is no hope, no other option. Pauser is when you have all the options in the world & yet you chose a less favoured path out of love. Every truth, every reflection I have on my faith & God & the people important to me lead back to hope & love.

And I am grateful.