Week 1: For Spreading the Love

Time for the Blog-Hop to begin... I can't wait to see how many of you join in!!! :)  There are no rules for this blog-hop. But I would love it, if you grabbed the button posted on the sidebar and put it on your own blog! Thanks... 

<br /><center><a href="http://myhappy5.blogspot.com/2010/11/week-1-for-spreading-love.html"><img border="0" src="http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss139/nikitaazad/Blog%20Buttons/Happy%205%20Blog%20Hop/Blog-HopButton-Edited-Fold-1.jpg" width="300" /></a></center><br />

So let's begin...

This week, I'm thankful for...

1. Having the opportunity to host this blog-hop that I know will bring happiness to anyone and everyone that plays along. Trust me; you won't know unless you give it a shot!

2. The festivities that are all around me. Diwali was two days ago, and everywhere that I turn I can see colourful lights and diyas. It's a beautiful sight to look at.

3. The way Diwali morning began... I went to the temple early in the morning (Siddhi Vinayak) and offering prayers early in the morning on Diwali day felt wonderful.

4. The fifteen hours' long sleep I've had... The day before yesterday was a tiring day that started around five thirty in the morning and went on till about eleven thirty in the night. Since I'd slept for only three hours the night before, I think my body deserved fifteen hours of rest.. :P

5. The wonderful people in my life, that make each day worth living and the future worth looking forward to.

Those are the things that made me happy this week... What are you thankful for??? Write a post on your own blog, and link up here!!! It doesn't have to be just five things... It could be less or more... Just write about things that made you happy this week. Focus on the positives and forget about everything else!!!

The Linky List will be open till Saturday night - the 13th (not just India Time... Saturday night in the US as well.) But in case the Linky List closes by the time you get here, you can always leave a comment.

Happy Sunday! :)

Blog-Hop Details

A few days ago, I talked about how I'd decided to do things a little differently around here by starting a Blog-Hop. I had also put up a poll and said that I would be posting the details of the blog-hop on Saturday, the 6th. So here we are, on that said Saturday... and here I am keeping my promise and giving out the details.

Although there have barely been any votes on the poll :( the number of votes do suggest that they're in favour of the blog-hop; which is a good thing. So starting tomorrow, we'll have a "5 Things I'm Thankful for this Week" post every Sunday.

But before that, check the sidebar out. There's a new button for this page. 

To participate, following me is not a compulsion. It's not even a requirement. But it would make me happy if you put the button your sidebar and let everyone know that you'll be participating in here every week... Spread the joy!! :)

So, the Linky List will start at 10.00 AM IST (that is GMT +5.30 hrs) every Sunday and shall remain open for posting the entire day of Sunday as well as Monday. And in case anyone misses it, you can always leave the link to your post in the comments. :)

I hope a lot of you participate. In my experience, it has been a great exercise, listing down 5 things that have made you happy. It focuses on the good things; things that you have instead of worrying/complaining about things that you don't have... Looking forward to seeing you'll tomorrow... and sharing the happiness!!!

Something New

I have  not been posting at here for quite sometime now because of my belief in jinxes. SO even though this blog was sitting idle, I didn't feel like letting it be that way or deleting it! 

There is no way I can EVER do that, because it has managed to keep me happy on my not-so-happy days. Also because a lot of totally unknown people have really loved the idea and the positivity and hope in the entire process. So, what I though I could do, is invite others to contribute - unless you're worried that your happiness might get jinxed too. That way, the blog stays alive and the happiness can spread. I can live knowing others are happy! I seriously can! :D See.. Happy! :D

How does this sound?? We make it a blog hop, and post once a week... So at the end of every week, we could come up with 5 things we have been thankful for during the entire week (I think I can post once a week) and we'll do this every Sunday. I'll keep the Linky List open for two days. This way we can all have fun!!! I've put up a poll for this. So vote and let me know how many of you would join in every week and spread some joy!! And it's a good time to start too.. The Holidays are just around the corner... Starting with Diwali next week!! I'm soooooo excited!! :)

P.S. You can vote only till Friday (November 5) and I'll post the details of the blog hop on Saturday (November 6) and we can start next Sunday (November 7)

Day 222: For getting Rid of Clutter

Today, I am thankful for…

1.       A lazy and late start to the day!! :P

2.       Being able to take some time out to get rid of the clutter that had been accumulating in my closet and my table. Phew! I feel so much lighter just knowing that I have gotten rid of the useless and unnecessary stuff!!

3.       Being able to watch ‘Bride Wars’ and totally enjoying it!!! I’m on a movie spree… or so it seems!

4.       Being finally able to post something on my other blog after sooooo long!!!

5.       A heart-to-heart conversation after a looooong time with two of my closest friends…. Amit and Jay!! :)

Day 221: For ‘Pop & Lock’ and ‘Up’

Today, I am thankful for…

1.       Getting done with lectures earlier than I thought I would be.

2.       The fact that it did not rain in the evening. It has been almost like a rule that on the days that I have dance classes, the sky is bright and sunny just till I’m about to leave the house, and then it pours like it hasn’t rained for centuries for just two minutes (which is enough for my pants to get totally drenched as I’m on my scooter! My wind cheater only protects my shirt…) and feel the chills in the air conditioned dance studio. Of late, I’ve been carrying an extra pair of pants just in case the ones I wear while leaving the house get wet. But, today, it didn’t rain until I was on my way back; which is fine because I’m on my way home and it doesn’t matter then; and I’m thankful for that.

3.       The new phase in Hip-Hop that we’re learning – Pop and Lock! It’s sooooo cool. The steps are a lot easier than what we learnt in New School Hip Hop or Crumping, but Pop & Lock needs style!!!!

4.       Two great movies that we saw on Star Movies – ‘Up’ – which is the most adorable animated movie I have seen since Ice Age; and ‘Enemy of the State’ – another wonderful film where the story moved so fast that we were all sitting on the edge of our seats!

5.       Knowing that even though I don’t wake up early ever, tomorrow, I don’t have to since it’s Sunday! :D

Day 220: For Water that went Up my Nose!!

Today, I am thankful for…

1.       Plans that got made at the last minute that resulted in a wonderful evening.

2.       Not having to wait for long for the bus and being able to travel comfortably.

3.       Chance meetings with people you haven’t seen in a long time.

4.       The reaction that I got when I said something. I could’ve died [ :P ] but the full blown laughter that it induced was totally worth it. We were at dinner and Sandeep gulps down two whole glasses of water in a matter of seconds without even pausing to breathe. I looked at him and called him a Tanki (similar to a tank in English) and he instantaneously reacts (while I was trying to drink the minuscule remnants in one of the glasses) by saying “Tu monkey” and the water almost went up my nose as I tried hard to not laugh until it was down my throat completely! I could’ve died had it gone in my wind pipe but thankfully it didn’t.:P

5.       The laughter!! After we both laughed over it for quite sometime, I realised that I hadn’t laughed this hard in a really long time!! :)

Day 219: For Fasting

Today, I am thankful for…

Fasting for Janmashtami (that was good in soooo many ways…)

(a)    Celebrating Lord Krishna’s birth!

(b)   Not eating at all for almost 24 hours surely helps. Not that I overeat or something, but I think I should fast more often; just to stay the way I am.

(c)    The simple food that tasted delicious because I hadn’t eaten anything in so long!!!!

Day 218: For Movies and Food :P

Today, I am thankful for… (not much but just…)

1.       Being able to spend a good afternoon with my sister.

2.       Watching a great movie (I love you, Man) and having a wonderful time watching it with Natasha. Paul Rudd is so sweet! :)

3.       Yummy snacks!! 

Day 217: For my Support System…

Today, I am thankful for…

1.       The heavy rains that led to the cancellation of my dance class. I totally enjoy my dance class, but on this particular day, I was feeling unreasonably lazy! I would’ve preferred if the lecture in the afternoon had got cancelled! Even that is class afterall! :P

2.       Maggi Noodles I’ve been having everyday!!! I just can’t seem to get through the evening without a pack of those noodles. And when I add a special touch to it with ginger, garlic and pepper, they taste even more yummy!! I’m almost hungry enough to have them again now!! ;)

(I’m going to cheat a little here and make one point into three and get my 5 points for the day! And I’m allowed to do that!!!! It’s my blog afterall!)

3.       The amazing support system I have in Sandeep and Jyothi.

4.       Whenever I’m having an off day, I can be certain that he would sense it in my voice and I can be doubly certain to get a reassuring text message from him (if we’re not able to directly communicate over the phone) saying he’d always be there to support me and wants to see me smile always. :D :D :D

5.       Whenever my internet connection fails me (as it did today because of the heavy rains) I can almost always rely on Jyothi to play Café World on my behalf and ensure that my dishes are served before they spoil and something else cooked for the next day – even thought she’s across seven seas!!!! What would I do without her??? My kitchen (on such occasions) would be a mess!!! :P

Day 216: For being Strict!

Today, I am thankful for…

1.       Being at home in the evening. It had been raining the entire day and I would have rather not been out at all. Even so, I was glad to be back before seven thirty! :)

2.       Being able to get some control over a noisy classroom. I am very patient in class and have never raised my voice ever!!!!! No matter how hard I’m pushed and how badly my limits are tested. But today, I was compelled to take action. I have been authorised by Ma’am to ask a student to leave the classroom if they’re being troublesome and today I did exactly that; and very politely. Why, you ask?? Even though he had been chattering incessantly since the lecture began, I lost my head when he started clapping hard in the middle of the lecture for no apparent reason!?!?!?!? Good riddance I say!

That’s all for today!!! Nothing great to add to my happiness… I’m elated because now when I tell the students that they’d be standing on the other side of the door if they distract the others or misbehave, at least they’ll know I mean business! ;)