Tagged by Sra - 7 weird things meme

Tagged by Sra of When my soup came alive. I cant remember if I've done this before, but since I like tags, I'm happy to do it again. I just hope I don't repeat myself!

1. Indians and Japanese (that I know of in particular) are sometimes seen as "weaselly" – or even as downright liars - by some Westerners because they (the Indians and the Japanese) agree to suggestions or statements even when they really disagree or when they have no intention of doing anything. This is not because they (yep, the Indians and the Japanese) are untrustworthy or congenital liars, but because they (yeah, the Indians and the Japanese) are polite. It's just that they hate to disagree with or contradict a customer (who of course is always right), or to refuse somebody something – so they nod their head where they should shake it, and say "PaNnidalaam saar" (translation: it can be done saar) where they should truthfully (but not so politely) say "PaNnamudiyaadhu saar" (translation: It cant be done saar). Excessive politeness is what gets them (yeah, still the Indians and the Japanese) this somewhat unwarranted negative reputation.

So that's the background for my first characteristic: Vagueness. But that is deliberate. I prefer not to lie and my personal motto is "If you cant say something nice without lying, don't say anything at all". This sounds admirable, but quite often is really tricky to carry out in practice, especially in real life – by which I mean when you're face-to-face with somebody wearing something hideous who asks you: "What do you think of it?" I evade the issue with something like "That's different" or "Where did you get that?" – or is that weaselly too?

It's easy to remain silent on blogs. Nothing to say that won't be trite or meaningless? Easy. Don't comment!

2. I like to map out a plan of action in my head before an appointment or anything that requires me to be someplace at a certain time. I divvy up the time available, allotting myself so many minutes to do this, that or the other. If things don't go according to the PoA, I have to rearrange the remaining time to my plan. If that doesn't work either, or if it seems like the whole thing is irretrievably messed up, I've been known to simply abandon it and go off and read a book instead. All this planning and rearranging happens in my head - it's not vocalised or written down. So, to anybody who's watching, I've got elaborately ready to go somewhere, then just flopped down with a book. (I'm not weird, honest.)

3. I don't like parties. I especially don't like parties where I might meet people I don't know or don't like. I go to great lengths to avoid them (parties and people both) – and yes, those are occasions where telling a thumping big lie is not only unavoidable, but required! (I only said I prefer not to lie.)

4. I'm a creature of habit, of late. I'm not organised, but some things are nearly sacrosanct. For instance, my car keys always go in my handbag. If I put them anywhere else for any reason, I completely forget the keys and their location both. In fact, if you were to ask me where I'd placed the keys, I'd say "In my handbag" even if I myself had left them elsewhere. Nothing to do with telling a lie and everything to do with habit. Then when they're not in my handbag when I need them, I go around yelling "Who moved my keys?" and unfairly accusing Pete of having Done The Deed. (Well, isnt that what husbands are for?)

5. I get artistic "urges" - usually to do some embroidery or fabric painting - which I find embarrassing. I don't consider myself a proper artist because I haven't done anything original. Those arty urges always seem like "adhigaprasangi-thanam" (rough translation: "presumptuousness") in me – I feel they should belong to a real artist. That said, though, when I feel like embroidering or painting, I cant think of anything else until I get that urge out of my system. Sometimes the urge is purged before I complete the painting or embroidery. In which case the work stays unfinished till the next "gotta do it" impulse comes along.

6. I have a great sense of rhythm when it comes to music. Unfortunately it remains internalised. If I try to give in to my inner rhythm, it manifests itself on the outside, to the onlooker, as a series of little twitches. I’ve been told it looks like I’m being given little electric shocks. (That’s another reason to avoid parties.) I don’t dance.

7. Just looking at a slug oozing along makes me want to barf. Slugs are the best emetic as far as I’m concerned – never mind salty water or anything else. Show me a slug and the contents of my stomach will make themselves evident remarkably quickly. I HATE slugs!

I dont know who else has or hasnt done this tag already - but I'm requesting these folks to take it up if they dont mind or if they havent done it yet: Suganya of Tasty Palettes, Linda of Out of the Garden, and Chitra of Taste Goblet

The Four-Things meme

Tagged for a meme by one of my favourite bloggers, Linda of Out Of The Garden, so here goes:

Four places I’ve lived in:

- Jamshedpur, Bihar, India
- Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania
- Chennai, India
- Singapore

Four jobs I’ve had:

- Sub-editor, Indian Express, Chennai
- Sr sub-editor, Business Line, Chennai
- Exec sub-editor, The New Paper, Singapore
- Personal secretary (current)

Four places I’ve holidayed in:

- Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu
- Munnar, Kerala
- Wellington, NZ
- Dublin, Ireland

Four favourite foods:

- My mother’s vendakkai pitla
- My periamma’s peas pulao
- My uncle’s taro root fry
- Sweet, seedless, refrigerated purple grapes

Four places I’d rather be:

- With my family, pretty much anywhere
- At Gogarty’s Pub in Dublin, listening to live Irish music
- At my uncle’s place, playing carromboard with my cousins
- Scotland, by a peaceful loch, listening to the silence

I’m absolutely certain everyone’s done this meme, but I’ll be more than happy if anyone wants to take it up – and let me know, because I’d love to know your choices too!