* One of my biggest fears is that a pigeon will come inside through an open door or window when I am alone at home. This is very closely followed by the fear that I will step unknowingly on a dog while walking on the road and fall over it. And be attacked.
* When I acquire new clothes, bag, folder, footwear or other stuff, I don't like to use it immediately. My logic behind that ('It will get dirty') is often a source of amusement for my family (read 'Navin')
* Music soothes my nerves like nothing else. A hot cuppa tea comes a close second.
* I am extremely fascinated by colours. That there should be so many shades, so many hues, so many colours...is so amazing!
* I find the sound of water very relaxing. Paradoxically, I am scared of deep water and drowning.
* I am pretty superstitious at times. To the extent of qualifying diagnosis for OCD.
* The other OCD aspect in me is my excessive attention to detail. This has landed me in academic hell many times. And I am yet to change.
* I find cooking therapeutic. As long as what I am making turns out good.
* I am not as quality consistent as I would like to be in many things I do.
* I hate fire crackers, specially the noisy variety. I don't mind the ones that make pretty, fancy lights, but I hate the bombs. I have never ever burst one in my life. I like to say it is because I am an environmentalist, but it is actually because I am scared of them.
* When I was tiny, I used to howl at night if the zero watt bulb was switched off. Now, I have difficulty sleeping with the light on.
* When I am by myself and faced with a problem, I talk to myself aloud about how to solve it. I keeps me calm.
* I hate shopping, normally. Sometimes though I enjoy it. Specially if it is with Navin. Or for him.
* I really, really enjoy working with data, in research settings. One of the biggest highs in my life is to see that 'significant at p < 0.05'. I miss research more sorely than anything else in my career.
* I am pretty good at logical reasoning, though I don't use it as much as I should.
* I love trivia. Even if it is useless. Specially if it is useless.
* I'd much rather read the book than watch the movie. I feel books give you a visual creative license that movies can not.
* Waking up in the morning is the most difficult chore of the day. Specially in winters. Ironically, winter is my favourite season, and night is my favourite time of the day.
* I am not a very television person. There are of course exceptions.
* Contrary to popular belief, I am not good at staying in touch with people. This is because I can not sustain phone conversations or online chat for over 3 minutes if they are not heading in a particular direction. I get distracted. Again, there are exceptions.
* I used to be a coffee addict. I have now given up. Tea has taken over.
* I am very fond of kids, but not very good with them. This has reflected in my choice of work, and I now work primarily with adults.
* I'm very finicky about spellings, grammar, punctuations etc. It bothers me incessantly, if someone I care about writes it's instead of its, your instead of you're, or doesn't capitalize the 'I' while writing professionally.
* I love birthdays even if they are not celebrated.
* I love new stationery, brand new books, notebooks, pens, pencils, erasers, sharpeners, pencil cases, the works...they remind me of school days. Back when I was a kid, my biggest fixation of the day used to be whether my bag has more 'compartments' or my brothers :)
* I often google out a word or type it on MS Word to check its spelling. Even when I am fairly sure about it...