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Being an Adult

written by Parita 16 Comments

Growing up, I was definitely one of those kids that always wanted to be older.  When I was 11, I wanted to be 13.  When I was 14, I wanted to be 16.  When I was 18, I wanted to be 21.  I was never satisfied!

If I could go back and talk to the 11, 14, and 18 year old Parita, I would tell her to enjoy the great things that come with being young and responsibility free.  For one, appreciate the fact that you don’t have to pay for the roof over your head.  Rent is not cheap.  Ask my bank account.  Also, don’t complain about having to drive a station wagon.  At least you don’t have to worry about car payments, insurance, and gas.  The money that goes into owning your own (nicer) car will blow your mind.  And don’t complain about what’s for dinner.  One day, you’re going to have to buy your own groceries and pay for your own meals at restaurants.  Basically, young naïve Parita, money doesn’t grow on trees!  And really, appreciate the fact that your parents take care of everything so that you can focus on being a kid.  Not everyone is so lucky.

money-growing-on-trees

I wish!!!

Now, you’re probably wondering what specifically prompted me to write this post.  Well, let me share… 

When my parents were here, we had my car’s Georgia title transferred over to a Florida title. It cost approximately $470!!!!  Holy moly!  And we have to do it all over again for Vishnu in about a month.  Oh and did I forget to mention that auto insurance for a married couple in their late twenties costs upwards of $3000 a year?  Well, it does.  I knew these things cost money, I just never knew how much.  And I know there’s nothing we can do about it, but it still makes my head spin sometimes. 

It’s times like these when I really wish I could go back and have a nice, long chat with my younger self.  Oh and tell myself to thank my parents profusely!

Now, don’t get me wrong, being an adult is pretty cool, especially because I get to enjoy it with my best friend (that would be Vishnu).  And when we get sick of it sometimes we revert back…it’s what we do best actually!

Circa 2006

Do you consider yourself an adult?  What sealed the deal for you?

Written on August 30, 2012 Related:General, Humor, Life, Marriage

3 Things

written by Parita Leave a Comment

Hi, y’all!  Today is my Friday because I have the day off tomorrow!  Vishnu’s coming to visit!  YAY!!!  If today is not your Friday, I hope the work/school day flies by for you tomorrow. Smile

Today I want to share 3 things I’m really loving right now, and 3 things that I’m disliking. 

Ready…set…go!

Love 1:

LC

Source

The minute I saw my friend Monica’s Longchamp bag a few months ago, I fell in love.  This is the perfect travel/work bag.  It’s so roomy, and the material is very durable.  Pretty much the perfect bag.  The only downside is the price tag.  But honestly, for what you’re getting, it’s not too bad.  Now, I’m just debating on when exactly to purchase this beauty.

Love 2:

Neutrogena

Source

This moisturizer is awesome.  See, I suffer from combination skin.  Some parts of my face are always super dry and some parts (read: t-zone) get oily VERY quickly.  My skin is also acne prone, so I have to be very careful what products I use because I never really know what will set it off.  This lotion does a good job of keeping both the flakes and the oil away.  I still have to blot my face a little bit in the afternoon, but it’s much better then what it used to be.

Love 3:

love actually

Source

“Love Actually” is one of Vishnu’s favorite movies…not sure if I was supposed to reveal that on here, but it’s ok.  My man is a romantic, and I love it!  I watched this with him five years ago, but it was on his computer, and I was so tired that I didn’t fully devote all my attention.  I watched it again this past Sunday, devoting all my attention, and can I just say that this is one of the cutest movies ever made!  My favorite thing is that it addresses love in all its forms in a very simple and relatable way…such a well-made movie!  If you haven’t seen it yet, please do…I promise you’ll love it regardless of your movie genre preference.

On to the dislikes…

Dislike 1:

bugs

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I very very very much dislike bugs…of all kinds!  I’m not going to go into too much detail here, but they freak me out, they’re ugly, and they find a way to get everywhere.  If a bug lover is reading this, I’m sorry, but my mind can’t be changed.  They’re just plain gross, and I want them as far away from me as possible. 

Dislike 2:

how-rde

Source

In the words of Stephanie Tanner…”how rude!”  I dislike rude people very much.  The ones who try to talk over you.  The ones who tail you on a 25 mph road.  The ones who make out in the middle of the airport atrium.  The ones who cut in line.  The ones who smoke around little kids by the pool.  The ones who don’t wipe down their machine at the gym.  The list could go on forever, but the point is that I dislike rude people.  It’s 100% okay to be in a bad mood, but please do your best not to spread it.  Thanks.

Dislike 3:

AW

Source

I dislike LIARS.  I think this picture speaks for itself. 

Sorry, Weiner, no one feels bad for you.  No one.

**********

Well, my friends, there you have it…my current loves and dislikes.  I hope you have a great night.  And I may or may not make an appearance again until Monday, so if that’s the case, have a terrific weekend (I know I will Winking smile)!!!

What is one thing you are loving right now?  What is one thing you are disliking?

Written on June 9, 2011 Related:Beauty Products, General, Movie, Self, Shopping

Friday Finds

written by Parita Leave a Comment

Hi, friends!  Woo!  It’s finally Memorial Day weekend, and you know what that means…no work on Monday!  Yes!  I actually like my job, but it’ll be so nice to finally have a day off. 

So let me tell you about my Friday finds.  After work, I stopped at Target to buy “a few things.”  Now we all know that one never leaves Target without picking up more items then initially intended.  Sometimes I’m able to fight the urge, but today was definitely not one of those days.

Let’s start with the most surprising find…

Friday Finds 004 Friday Finds 006

Yep, it’s true…I bought a 40 oz. jar of PB.  That may sound like a lot, but trust me…it’s really not.  I’ve loved this brand for as long as I can remember, and the natural variety does not disappoint…it’s AWESOME!  And the best part about this find is that the jar was on sale for $4.12!!!!!  What a steal!

My next find…

Friday Finds 008

I learned something about myself today…I am obsessed with books.  Really.  Every time I walk by the book section of a store, I want to buy one.  I’m not done with The Alchemist yet (although I intend on finishing up very soon), but I wanted something different to read this weekend.  Even though I’m not going anywhere, I thought it would be fun to sit by the pool this weekend and read something that doesn’t involve too much deep thinking.  I hope I picked a good one!

On to the next finds…

Friday Finds 001

Something I really want to accomplish this weekend is to get more organized.  I know, shocking!  I am usually so on top of things, but I don’t know what it is, I feel like everything (work, personal life, etc.) isn’t as put together as it should be.  To kick off “project get organized” I bought a new notebook for work and a mini planner for life.  LOL!  Do people still use these things?!  Nothing beats the old paper and pen method…works like a charm!  Plus, I LOVE the feeling of being able to literally cross things off my lists. 

I also found a new workout top for myself…

Friday Finds 023

Hello!

In fact, I liked it (and the price tag) so much, that I picked one up for my sister as well.  You can’t tell from the picture, but it’s extremely light and apparently protects against UV rays.  Can’t beat that!

So that was my trip to Target.  I’m not going to lie, I picked up more items, but put them back at the last minute.  I plan on doing some more shopping this weekend, so there’s no reason to blow the bank in one day. Winking smile

Guess what was waiting for me when I got home…

Friday Finds 007

Yay!  I decided to buy this after seeing Gina’s awesome Open Sky deal.  Can’t wait for breakfast tomorrow!

Oh and this was also in my mailbox today…

Friday Finds 009

I recently won a fun giveaway on Amanda’s blog.  My prize!?  This awesome book on the other side of going Raw.  I don’t have any plans to change my eating habits, but I really do enjoy learning about different diets.  I think the Raw lifestyle has a lot of great insight to offer, so I’m excited to read this.  One more book to add to the ever-growing list…ha!

I think I’m going to finish the night off with a super cheesy chick flick via Netflix.  Yay for three day weekends!  I hope y’all have a great night and an even better weekend.  Smile

Any plans this weekend?  Any great deals I should know about?!  Please share! 

Written on May 27, 2011 Related:General, Shopping

More Hours in the Day Please!!

written by Parita Leave a Comment

What a busy day!  After work I headed to TJs to pick up my favorite treat…LARABARS!  I am going to a fun city next week for work, and I want to be sure to have plenty of healthy snacks on hand.  So, I am packing nuts, Larabars, etc.

I’m not going to tell you where I am going…yet!  Let’s see if y’all can guess the destination.  I know there are hundreds of cities in the US, so I’ll narrow down the choices for you.

A. New York City

B. Washington DC

C. Chicago

D. Miami

A, B, C, and D are all super fun cities, but only one is correct.  Take a guess and let’s see if you are correct. I will post the answer on Saturday evening once I arrive in [enter city name here]!  And if you are a friend or family member who already knows where I am headed, please don’t guess!  It’s not fair!

So, I really wish there were more hours in the day.  For someone who works 9 hours a day, comes home and works out, makes and eats dinner, watches TV, BLOGS :), and wants to read a book before bed, there are just not enough hours in the day!  Who’s with me!?

As you can probably tell, my day today was packed.  After TJs I headed to Lovin Spoonfuls for dinner with my co-workers!  They wanted to have a farewell dinner for me at my favorite Tucson restaurant!  It was lots of fun!  I tried something new this time, but unfortunately I forgot my camera at home, so no pictures…sorry!  I ordered the Route 66 Burger, which was a “cheeseburger” with “bacon.”  The quotes mean that everything was soy.  In case you haven’t read my earlier posts, Lovin Spoonfuls is a great vegan restaurant that I frequent often!  Oh, I also had a vegan chocolate chip cookie!  YUM!  After dinner, I headed to Target to pick up a few things.  Then I came home, started laundry, and started packing.  Bleh!  It’s funny how when you have LOTS to do, all you want to do is park your butt on the couch!

Before I peace out for the night, I wanted to share a couple of more things with y’all.  First, check out the super cute wireless mouse my manager got me…it’s pink!

There’s actually a pretty funny back story to this gift.  One day, I asked my manager if he had an extra thumb drive I could borrow.  He came by my desk to drop off the drive and also had another small box in his hand.  He gave me the box, and I got super excited because I thought it was a wireless mouse.  I think I even said, “Wow!  How did you know I needed one of these?”  Well, the “mouse” ended up being something else, and  he could tell from my face once I realized that it wasn’t what I thought it was, that I was a little disappointed because I said “Ohhh, thanks.”. Haha!  So, he got me this mouse because he knew “it was what I REALLY wanted!”

The other thing I wanted to share today was a book I am reading called “Helping – How to Offer, Give, and Receive Help” by Edgar H. Schein.

It sounds (and looks) kind of boring, but it’s actually really interesting!  It’s kind of text book”y” with examples and stories mixed in, but I enjoy those types of book…what can I say, I miss school.  Nerd alert!  Anyways, I am half way through the second chapter, and I can’t wait to read more.  The author addresses three different kinds of helping situations – formal, semi-formal, and informal.  And he attacks the topic from a cultural and sociological viewpoint versus a personality and character one.  I will be sure to highlight some of the main points when I am done, so you have something to look forward to!  I think the world can use better helpers!

Next time I’m on here, you’ll find out where I’ll be blogging from for the next week!  🙂

Written on February 17, 2011 Related:Book, Friends, General, Restaurant

About Me: The Details

written by Parita Leave a Comment

Recently, I started thinking about what I would say in an About Me post.  I haven’t divulged a lot of details about my life or who I am, and my plan was to slowly incorporate that information into each post.  Over the past few days, the idea of an About Me post really appealed to me because I do think it’s important to give the people who read your blog a better understanding of who you are as a person.  So, here goes…

My name is Parita, and I am a first generation Indian American.  My parents settled in RI after immigrating from India in the early 80s, therefore, I was born and raised in Pawtucket, RI.  If you’re thinking, “where is that”, does the Slater Mill ring a bell???  Anyways, I also have a younger sister who is one of my best friends in the entire world!  Despite having to raise two kids in an entirely new and different country, my parents did an incredible job!  They were able to keep the Indian culture alive in a foreign place, while still allowing us to fully embrace the American culture.  For example, my sister and I took ballet, tap, and jazz dance classes, played baseball in an all girls league, and had sleepovers just like a lot of our friends growing up.  But what set us apart were the trips to the temple, Bollywood movies, HUGE family get-togethers, Indian dance classes and performances, and multiple trips to India.  If I had to relive my childhood, I wouldn’t change a single thing!

Little Par! 🙂

We moved to Georgia when I was 14, and boy did I hate it!  I missed home and thought everything about the South was strange!  However, over time, I came to call Georgia home.  After finishing high school, I went to the University of Georgia for undergrad.  I majored in Finance because everyone was doing it (no joke)!  Truth be told, those 4 years were some of the best yet!  I met some of my best friends and my boyfriend of almost 6 years during that time, and looking back, life was so carefree and fun.  I miss it! 

After graduation, I worked for a public accounting firm in their consulting group.  This basically meant that I travelled a good bit and got to see some cool places.  I also learned a lot of life skills during this time, and that is why I think everyone should really try to ensure that their first job out of college gives them good experience both professionally and personally.  After about 2 years, I decided that I wasn’t truly happy with my job and couldn’t see myself there in the future.  So, I signed up for the GMAT and applied to business school to get my MBA.  I got into Georgia Tech and began an exciting 2 year adventure.  Going back to school was the best thing for me because it helped me realize that if I put my mind to something, I can do it no matter how difficult it seems at the start.  I was essentially going back to school to switch career paths, and in the beginning, I didn’t know if my mission would be successful.  With a lot of hard work and dedication, I was able to find a job upon graduation that would allow me to follow my professional aspirations.  I know that not everyone can afford to take this path (I was lucky to have very supportive parents), but please don’t ever give up on your personal goals and dreams!  Where there’s a will, there’s a way! 

My current job requires me to move around every 8 months for 2 years.  So far, I have lived in Tucson, AZ and am moving to the Boston area for my next rotation.  It’s such a great experience!  You get to live in 3 different cities, meet tons of new people, and gain valuable experience.  Moving around so much is a little annoying sometimes, but I knew what I was getting into!  🙂 

The reason I started this blog was to have a space where I could share my thoughts and ideas on health, fitness, and overall well-being.  I figured if I could inspire one person to adopt healthier habits, I would have made a difference.  However, since starting this blog a little over 2 weeks ago, I am starting to think that it’s going to be about much more than health and fitness.  I know that sounds a little vague, and I’m not totally sure what that means yet, but just knowing me, my goal of sharing health information will extend to changing the world…hahaha!  What I do know is that aside from sharing my daily thoughts, I want to share more about the Indian culture.  Learning about new countries, cultures, and people is so fascinating to me, so I figure blogging about my own culture will be a great experience for both myself and the people who read my blog.

What else can I share about myself??  I love to spend quality time with my friends and family, especially over a good meal!  I love talking to Vishnu everyday, but I absolutely can’t wait for the day when the phone is no longer our primary means of communication! 🙂  I love to shop, especially with my sister because she thinks I have great fashion sense (which I really don’t)!  I love “deep” conversations about anything and everything (I can just see my friends nodding their heads as they read this sentence)!  And this may shock some of you, but I really do love talking to my parents at least twice a day…we’re very close!  Working out, reading, traveling, going to the movies, cooking, laughing, etc. are other hobbies of mine…I really love ME time! 

All grown up!

Well, I’m sure you’ll learn more about me over time, but I think this is a good start! 🙂  Thanks so much!

Written on February 6, 2011 Related:General

Back to the Basics

written by Parita Leave a Comment

My simple dinner, chickpea and tomato pasta, was the inspiration for tonight’s blog post.  After an entire weekend of unhealthy eats, I wanted to eat something that would give my body some of the nutrients I missed over the past few days.  I am happy to report that dinner was delicious and nutritious!  Before I talk about how I revert back to the basics after a  few unhealthy meals , I will share my recipe.

The beauty of this recipe is that you can approximate all of the ingredients based on what you like and what you don’t like.  I didn’t measure anything…just added a little bit of this and little bit of that!

Ingredients:

Multigrain pasta

1 can diced tomatoes

1 can garbanzo beans

Good quality olive oil (don’t underestimate the power of quality olive oil) 🙂

Dried herbs of your choice (I used basil)

Salt and black pepper to taste

A pinch of Indian red chilli powder (I couldn’t find my crushed red pepper)

Cook the pasta according to the directions on the box.  Drain the pasta and add it back to the pot.  Add the can of tomatoes and about 3/4 of the beans.  Allow to heat through and then add about 1 tablespoon of the olive oil.  Season with the herbs and spices to taste.  Allow to heat through and serve warm.

Allowing yourself to have indulgent foods every now and then is a must.  But sometimes, reverting back to healthier foods and a healthier mindset is harder than one would think.  The transition is much more bearable when I gradually add back fruits, vegetables, grains, etc. into my diet.  Here are some of the ways I get back to the basics:

  • I try to start off with a filling breakfast (my favorite cereal with soy milk, a bowl of oatmeal, slices of toast with peanut butter, an egg white omelet, etc.)
  • I make sure that my kitchen is stocked up with fresh fruits and vegetables, and I incorporate them into every meal (I love juicy berries because they are full of antioxidants, and they are great with yogurt, oatmeal, or even on their own)
  • I reap the benefits of spinach by making a spinach salad with my favorite veggies and beans (my favorite salad beans are black beans, garbanzo beans, and dark red kidney beans)
  • I sip on lots of water throughout the day.  I try to drink at least 6 glasses a day to help cleanse my system.
  • I snack during the day – almonds, fruit, string cheese, Larabars, etc.
  • I eat dark chocolate almost daily! 🙂  I allow myself about 100-150 calories worth and eat it VERY slowly to satisfy my sweet tooth.

These are just a few of the ways I slowly get back to the basics after allowing myself to eat pretty much whatever I want. 🙂  I find that by adding fresh foods back into my diet and not eliminating entire food groups, I am back on track in no time!

Do you find it challenging to eat healthier after indulging?  How do you get back to the basics?

Written on February 1, 2011 Related:Food, General, Recipe

A Tour of Southern Arizona

written by Parita Leave a Comment

Eating, hiking in the canyon, eating, driving up a mountain, eating, touring a cave, eating…

That pretty much sums up the weekend!  Oh, did I mention we ate a lot!?!?

Roshni and Sweeti’s flights got in late Friday night, but we still managed to get up at 6 AM on Saturday to go hiking.  Yes, I did say 6 AM!!! I took them to Sabino Canyon because of the beautiful views.  We hiked a total of 8.4 miles!  It was so fun!

 

We were exhausted by the end of the hike, but it was totally worth it. 🙂

After relaxing and showering we headed to Mi Nidito (yes, I go there often)!  Roshni and I each ordered a bean enchilada with a side of rice and beans.  That sounds boring, but it was really delicious!  Sweeti ordered the Flat – Old Fashioned enchiladas – essentially corn cakes smothered in sauce and cheese…very unique and filling.

 

Flat Enchiladas

 

Next, we drove up Mt. Lemmon to experience some breathtaking views of Tucson.

Before we headed home, we made a pit stop at Frost, a local gelateria.  Unfortunately, I devoured my dark chocolate gelato and completely forgot to snap a picture. 🙁  Sorry!  I won’t forget next time!

Later that night we headed out to experience Tucson night life.  It was a very interesting night but LOTS of fun nonetheless!  It totally reminded me of our undergrad days!!!

The next day we got ready and headed to Lovin’ Spoonfuls (yes, I frequent this place a lot too!).  I decided not to branch out and ordered the usual – a Club Sandwich with a chocolate chip cookie on the side.  🙂  My meal didn’t disappoint!

 

Club Sandwich

 

Kartchner Caves was next on the list, so we headed out and drove about an hour south(ish).  If you’re ever in Southern Arizona, you should definitely try to visit and tour these caves.  We saw beautiful stalagmite and stalactite formations and learned about how the cave has evolved over thousands of years.  In my opinion, some of the formations were unreal!  And to think, they were formed from drops of water…craziness!  We couldn’t take the camera into the caves, so I don’t have pictures for y’all, but if you’re interested, please visit the official site for more information (Kartchner Caves).

Our night ended with more Mexican food (can’t get enough) at Guadalajara Grill.  GGrill has a fun atmosphere and ambiance.  I ended up ordering a cheese enchilada with a side of beans.  This restaurant introduced me to my very first Tucson Mexican food experience, but I must say, nothing beats Mi Nidito.  Hey, we all have our favorites!

 

Fresh, made-to-order salsa!

Our night ended with Bollywood songs via YouTube!!!  For those of you who may not know what Bollywood it, it’s the Indian version of Hollywood.  Don’t worry, I will dedicate an upcoming post to Bollywood so you are all well-informed!

 

That was my weekend!  I was so sad to see it end, but I know there are more fun times ahead!  🙂  Even after a 2 hour nap, I am still exhausted.  Off to bed I go!

Written on January 31, 2011 Related:Food, General, Restaurant

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