How do I love thee? Let me count the ways
When I was wooing Tiku, I think she wondered how genuine my affection actually was and so she kept asking me why I liked her. Finally, on Valentine's day 2004, I just wrote down 101 things I liked about her.
To my shock she still refused to go out with me!
But I'm nothing if not resilient and so, three days later, I wrote and sent her a list of ANOTHER 102 things I liked about her. She basically threw up her hands in frustration, and agreed to go out with me (Ha!)
Then for her birthday a few months later, I sent her another list of 100 things, but this time it wasn't stuff I liked about her. It was the things I LOVED about her. And finally after a long gap after marriage (shame on me) I sent her another list of 100 things I loved about her.
Writing hundreds of things you love about your soulmate is one of the most powerfully creative things you can do in your life.
Because if you ever forget just how lucky you are and how special she is.
This reminds you.
14th February 2004
1. I like your giggle
2. I like the way you glare at people with your hands on your hips when you think they’re too ‘senti’ (even if they’ve flown all the way to Delhi to see you)
3. I like those black sneakers
4. I like the fact that if I had to draw what my perfect girl would look like - she’d look just like you - simple and cute
5. I like the fact that you’re smaller than a pea
6. I like your indignant/shocked ‘stop it’s when you hear me eating chocolate spread toast over the phone
7. I like the way you whisper after 10pm
8. I like the way you’ve diplomatically convinced me that you like my singing
9. I like the way you claim to be interested in interior design but your room is about as bare as a penance chamber in a nunnery
10. I like that you like cartoons
11. I like that you call me when you need to be cheered up
12. I like the pasta you make
13. I like the way you protect Mr Rolf from ending up in my stomach
14. I like that you tried to learn the guitar and dancing
15. I like that you’re such a rebel
16. I like that you’re such a baby
17. I like the way you feel no guilt about driving me to financial ruin
18. I like that you don’t like red roses
19. I like the shameless way in which you can tell me that you’ve never liked anyone after I tell you all about my dubious love life
20. I like the ashamed way you tell me it’s not true by sending me an SMS “There is someone in my life”. Hmph!
21. I like that after each time I’ve met you I’ve thought “It must have been my imagination.. she couldn’t possibly have been THAT beautiful” but then the next time I see you my jaw drops open and I realise you’re even prettier than I thought you were
22. I like the way you describe yourself in three words - simple, reserved, quiet
23. I like the way you make ‘James Bond on Mission Impossible’ calls from your dads phone when you run out of credit
24. I like the way you tell me ‘that was so pathetic’ and then burst out giggling when I tell you one of my poor jokes
25. I like the way you listen quietly in all seriousness while I try to get to know you better by buying palmistry and astronomy books and telling you what the book says you’re like (without giving me the slightest hint whether any of its true or not)
26. I like the way you occasionally give me hints that’ll help me understand you better like telling me ‘perhaps you should exchange this for the sun signs book… that’s less complicated’ INSTEAD OF JUST TELLING ME ABOUT YOURSELF!!!
27. I like the way you tell me that your friends call you Mickey Mouse and then pretend to moan when I call you Tika mouse
28. I like the fact that I can write so much bad poetry about you at the drop of a hat
29. I like the fact that I had a feeling that we’d end up together one day even before you’d actually said a word to me
30. I like your writing - it’s very idealistic and logical
31. I like the fact that you use Baby soap
32. I like the picture of us together
33. I like that you hate to shop
34. I like that I know who it is when my phone rings and then stops immediately
35. I like that you trusted me instinctively when you met me
36. I like the way you wear a seat belt for me even though you wiggle about like a worm once you put it on and make sad faces to make me feel guilty (I’ve seen dead fish with happier faces)
37. I like the way you look at me when I sing… you have the most sparkling eyes I’ve ever seen
38. I like the fact that you sued for the sake of the environment
39. I like everything about you
40. I like that when I told you I was uncomfortable because you didn’t seem to be able to talk freely to me … you tried to
41. I like that you have a little nose
42. I like that you only listen to music that’s 20 years old
43. I like that you want me to send you emails even though you never read them
44. I like the way our communication sucks so badly that I somehow thought we were almost going out while you had no idea what hallucinogenic substance I was taking
45. I like the fact that you tell me that Neha probably eats a lot of chocolates
46. I like the fact that you have fluffy toys in your room
47. I like your lower lip
48. I like that I’ll have a friend who’ll eat the crusts of my pizza
49. I like that you played TT for your school like me (though with your size it was probably more like lawn tennis for you)
50. I like that your only ambitions in life are to become a corporate lawyer and have a family
51. I like that you tried para-sailing
52. I like the cute prudish way you cavort in full length jeans on South east Asia beaches next to bikini clad women
53. I like the secret smile you had when I told Bittu the taxi driver to make sure that nothing happened to you when he dropped you back from the airport
54. I like the fact that if I can’t fly to Delhi too often you can always mail yourself to Mumbai in a small.. sorry… medium sized envelope
55. I like your skin
56. I like that you like dogs and babies
57. I like that you’re such a doofus you didn’t even know who Peter Pan was
58. I like the fact that you’re worried about whether I’ll do my PhD or not
59. I like the fact that you put your foot down with your parents and didn’t get married at 22
60. *Censored*
61. I like that you always wanted to be with one person and tried to change yourself to make that happen
62. I like that you’d like to speak to me 3 times a day even though I keep talking nonsense
63. I like that you replied to all my emails in Mumbai within a day of receiving them
64. I like the way you conclude in three words ‘guys are dumb’ what you think of my entire 10 minute explanation of why guys don’t know intuitively what girls are thinking
65. I like that I can corrupt you so easily by feeding you Pav Bhaji at Chowpatty even though you’re under strict instructions not to eat outside food - Mua ha ha ha!
66. I like that you’re as clueless about modern art as I am
67. I like the way you told me “Don’t let me stop you” when said I wanted to eat the crabs crawling about on the rocks at Nariman point
68. I like the way you patiently watched me make an idiot of myself trying to tune the guitar for half an hour at Barista
69. I like the cute way you got so nervous about being home even a minute later than 10pm
70. I like the way you’ve got me completely wrapped around your little finger
71. I like the way you confuse me with your different hairstyles - I’m sure it was curly the first few times and straight the next two - or maybe I’m going mad????
72. I like the fact that you do nothing except eat chocolates and sleep. Like some sort of modern miniature Kumbkaran
73. I like the fact that whenever I ask you what’s new you tell me ‘nuthin’ - even if your car’s been stolen!!!!
74. I like that you don’t know whether you’d want to go out with me or not despite the fact that everyone knows I’m irresistible
75. I like the fact that one day you’re going to tease me a lot for having absolutely no modesty whatsoever
76. I like your ears
77. I like the way you tell me that we can do whatever I want to do and then tell me we can’t go to the zoo when I say that’s the one thing I really want to do!!!! Hmph!
78. I like that I know what I’m going to name our house :-p
79. I like the agonised face you made when I told you my Mushroom joke at Pizza Express (Do you know why I like mushrooms? Because I’m a fun-guy (fungi))
80. I like that I know you’re giggling or smiling just now
81. I like the way you diplomatically told me you hated my ‘Suited Buddha’ simplicity soap concept by saying “I really like it but I don’t think other people would” - Bah! What do you know.. you don’t even understand modern art
82. I like the fact that every one of my friends who’s seen the picture of us thinks we look ‘right’ together
83. I like the fact that although you say that you have no friends and you’re depressed most of the time my baby sis thinks that you look ‘cute, friendly and happy’
84. I like the fact that you tried to repay my lunch treat, chocolates, ferraris, Mr Fruit sachets, flights to Delhi, innovative soap tissue gifts, endless phone calls, Barista treats, book presents, etc by buying me a Rs 10 bag of buttered corn!!!! Bah - you’re the Kanjoos not me!
85. I like the fact that you’re clever
86. I like the way I feel when I’m around you - soft and protective and determined that nothing bad will ever happen to you.
87. I like the way you spell “I’m fweeeee” when your exams get over (the correct spelling btw is “I’m free”)
88. I like the fact you’re so depressed while you’re studying for your exams and so happy afterwards even though you’ve probably FAILED in all of them and will have to retake them :-p
89. I like the fact that Tikus means mouse in Malay (just coincidence?)
90. I like your definition of love - caring, understanding, honesty and trust
91. I like that you can sit among the common people and throw pop-corn at them
92. I like the fact that if you put on some creamy white makeup you could be mistaken for a pop-corn (especially if you sat quietly inside the popcorn packet)
93. I really, REALLY like the fact that you’ve got a non-scary medium sized ex-boyfriend
94. I like the dainty precise way you eat your corn and your pizzas
95. I like that you get freaked out by chilli food
96. I like the fact you can call me up just to cry on the phone
97. I like the fact that you’ve got pictures of yourself receiving prizes when you were even smaller than a pea
98. I like the cruel way you humiliate poor Mr Rolf by calling an Alsation dog… Rooolfiiieee! Or by saying that he’s a ‘doggie’
99. I like the graceful way you move… noticed it when you walked down the steps when I picked you up from office, on the beach at Chowpatty and at that mall
100. I like the fact that I could write a hundred things I like about you so easily
101. I like the fact that I could go on writing endlessly but unfortunately… I have a job selling soap so I’ll have to go and earn a living (only so I have enough cash to keep calling you)
18th Feb 2004
102. I like you so much that I’m writing this entire list again from scratch (I got to 142 and then accidentally shut down the document without saving - sniff!)
103. I like the way you smile shyly in the corner next to the fridge when I tell Aunty that Siddharth has been laid off from Accenture because why else would a consultant be walking around in his chaddis at home at 9pm? (first time I dropped you back)
104. I like that you’re so scared of Abha Aunty despite the fact you’re going to be 10 times scarier than her when you grow up (have you ever seen yourself with your hands on your hips glaring at ‘senti’ people?)
105. I like that you risk getting grounded for ever to see me
106. I like that your logic is completely insane “I’m going to be in trouble anyway when I go back for seeing you so I might as well get into even more trouble right?”
107. I like that you were going to see a psychiatrist but your priorities changed
108. I like that you’re too chicken to distract the security guard while I steal flowers for you
109. I like that you’re too picky too accept a leaf as a substitute
110. I like that you listen patiently to me telling you how I can’t sing the song I wrote for you because I haven’t practised, my guitar is out of tune, etc, etc knowing fully well that I’m going to sing it anyway
111. I like the disgracefully immodest way you listen to the song I wrote about you without blushing in the slightest - these girls nowadays (sigh)
112. I liked the way you started giggling when I played that part about ‘Rolfie’ crying and howling
113. I like that you take pictures of me playing the guitar so you can show them off to your friends - I guess I am pretty handsome now that you mention it (gels back hair with hand and puts on sunglasses)
114. I like that when we got into the planetarium and it was pitch dark you didn’t feel uncomfortable because you were holding my hand
115. I like that when I was holding your hand and the hand of the guy who was leading us to our seats I liked the touch of your hand more (phew!)
116. I liked the way you giggled when I said that we should go and dance in the middle of the dome cos nobody could see us anyway
117. I like the rude way you tell me that my room is the untidiest room you’ve ever seen in your life - hey that’s because unlike some people I actually have things in my room!!!
118. I like that no matter how unplanned and unstructured our day is we always end up having fun when we’re together
119. I like the way you moaned about the walking to Swati restaurant, moaned about the wait at Swati, moaned about the Ganna juice at Swati and then promptly proceeded to sneakily eat half the food on my plate when I looked away for a second
120. I like the cute way your li’l legs never reach the floor when you sit on a stool, they just sort of dangle
121. I like the fact that you still drink milk every morning just like me
122. I like that your luck is hideous that on the one day you played hookey and bunked off with me we went to the one street in Mumbai that the one person who you didn’t want to see us was there. We were so busted!
123. I like the horrified look you give when I splurge money on taxis and then the way I can see a little thought bubble from your head "Oh what the heck… he’s earning…. hee hee hee”
124. I like the way you refused to use the same taxi again after the driver kept staring at you in the window - well what do you expect? I would have too in his place
125. I like the way you look at me quizzically at Horniman circle as if to say “I just want you to know that I don’t know what we’re doing here but I’m not going to say anything, I’m just going to let you figure it out for yourself that this is a bad idea”
126. I like that we can sit at the Tea Place just looking at a design magazine to figure out what the perfect house should look like
127. I like that you completely ignore my friends. Hmph! I like that!
128. I like that you shiver like a little baby penguin (I don’t know if they actually shiver but they must be cold right?) at air conditioned movie cinemas and try to stop me when I keep trying to get you more cups of coffee to raise your temperature
129. I like that you’re so dispassionate when you rate movies “Ho hum… it was ok.. what next”
130. I like the way you disappear in the crowd in a train only to reappear at the exit still attached to my arm
131. I like the way a simple sentence from you like “I’m glad you came” when I dropped you home can just make me float on air
132. I like the way you can flip a baby nephew like a pancake
133. I like the brave way you face Ishan. He scared the pants off me when he pulled that judo kick flip thingamajig.
134. I like the way you can speak so many strange languages when talking to babies. (What does “Oootchie kootchie kitchy witchiee oooo ooo” mean anyway?)
135. I like the way you tell me the way to your home but you would have blatantly got lost if I hadn’t come that time
136. I like that you let me hold your thumb (did I mention I really like your thumb)
137. I like the way you stuff me into the seat of the taxi when I drop you home so that nobody sees us together mmmph!
138. I like the way you tell me that I have to take you to New Yorkers and then when we actually get there you’re so nervous about getting late that I have to take you home
139. I like that you would have eaten there even though you were so nervous about getting late - just because you thought it would make me happy to make you happy.
140. I like the scary gleam in your eye and the way you hold your spoon like a weapon before pigging out on chocolate fudge at Mocha’s
141. I like the way you practically licked the bowl clean.. you’re pretty intense about chocolate you know!
142. I like the squawk you gave when I was settling down to lie on the chair at Mocha’s and you thought I was about to put my head in your lap “What are you doing?!”
143. I like the way you looked nervous when I knelt down to roll up your jeans on the beach because you weren’t sure what I was going to do but you just let me do it anyway because you trusted me
144. I have to admit that you have the nicest toes I’ve seen
145. I liked the cute giggly squeal you gave when I kick splashed sea water onto you
146. I like the way you kept on trying to roll up your jeans to your knees despite the fact you were drenched upto the waist anyway
147. I like the way you bend down to pick every shell on the beach for a closer look (though I think you should get out more often)
148. I like the way you burst out laughing when the map of Bombay I’ve just spent ten minutes drawing for you in the sand gets washed away by a big wave the minute I finish it and start explaining where what is - what a waste (sigh)
149. I like the way you have no sense of direction whatsoever and lose track of where we are if we take a short cut from the beach to the street even though we’re only 500 yards from where we started
150. I like the way you tell me that you’re sure you’re at Andheri East when you’re actually at Andheri West and I know instinctively that you don’t know where you are so I check both :-p
151. I like the way you stand out despite being two inches high waiting forlornly in front of McDonald’s for me to show up (I was looking for you at Andheri East ok!)
152. I like that when I tell you I’d like you to talk more you try your hardest to be more disclosing which is not your natural personality
153. I like that when I tell you I like to keep in contact through internet and msn you get cable internet installed at your place
154. I like the way you make me laugh by making cute little frustrated noises as you try to install messenger while following my instructions over the phone
155. I like that you’re doing stupid personality tests and sending me the results because I told you I feel like I don’t know you as well as I’d like to
156. I like that you’re magical
157. I like the fact that you are probably the most romantic writer I’ve ever read precisely because you’re so awful at poetry. I still shudder everytime I think of your “I’m sitting in the loo thinking of you. I just want you to know that life isn’t worth a shit without you” - I mean… WHAT IS THAT???!!!
158. I like that I agree with the results of the first three personality tests you sent me and the analysis of Virgo women in Linda Goodman’s book
159. I like the fact that when I told you that other girls have seemed far more interested in me you went up and looked up my name on the internet
160. I like the fact that although we’re so different the more I get to know you.. the less that seems relevant
161. I like the shocked sms silence on your end when you asked me what I wanted and I replied that I wanted to live in a home called “Ujjain”
162. I like the way you panic when your parents find out about me and start thinking about contacting my parents
163. I like the way your dad calls me from your phone when he runs out of credits and hides underneath his blanket whispering and giggling
164. I like the way that without saying a word or complimenting me or doing anything you can make me feel like on top of the world just by the way you look at me
165. I like you because despite the fact that it would be so, so easy to get scared off or swept up by my evil intentions on you, you’ve just stayed calm and consistent and caring.
166. I like you because you’re very, very special to me
167. I like that you make calls to me while you’re asleep telling me that you’ve decided to go out with me and then forget about it and wonder if you’re going crazy when you check your phone and realise that you actually did call me at that time (you did too :-p)
168. I like that your representative picture on messenger looks like a cock-eyed prostitute ducky with too much lipstick
169. I like the way you desperately try to hold onto a serious conversation on msn as I talk about random subjects like prostitute duckies!
170. I like that I remember almost every single thing you’ve done, every expression you’ve had, every word you’ve said and every move you’ve made - without doing so consciously. It’s not like I write it down or think about it at the time. I write all this purely from just thinking about it and I haven’t even slowed down my typing speed. And this from a person who was told by his ex (and family members) that he was absolutely hopeless at details and didn’t remember even the most important things!
171. I like that although on one level I feel like I don’t know you at all on another level I feel like I already know everything about you including things even you don’t know about yourself. And though the statement doesn’t seem to make sense from a rational point of a view somehow I feel it doesn’t even seem paradoxical to me. Just don’t ask me to explain it.
172. I like the cartoon I drew of us together for Valentine’s underneath clouded but starry skies. Again it sounds paradoxical but it isn’t if you look at the cartoon :-p
173. I like the diplomatic way you suggest that ‘other’ girls under a similar situation might worry that the only reason I like them because of looks and that I might be just flattering them - tough! I’m going to keep flattering you :-p
174. I like that we can discuss differences and come back to each other after thinking about each other’s point of view with a better understanding of how we work and with a renewed feeling that the difference was irrelevant in the first place. It gives me great hope that we might just grow to complement each other perfectly over a period of time. I feel like I become a better person and more mature every time we speak to each other
175. I like your ears! This time I can say that without feeling guilty in the slightest. I’ve checked out your ears and they are truly exceptional!
176. Err…. I couldn’t help noticing while I was rolling up your jeans but.. umm… err…. you’ve got very pretty legs as well. Eeeeek! Don’t hit me. I couldn’t help noticing ok! They were there right in front of me
177. I like that you use HLL products like Dove and Lakme. (Thank God you don’t know what we put in them!)
178. I like that I’m becoming increasingly aware at No 178 that I’m almost certain to end up with a house called “Ujjain”. Obviously I’ll have to go through the entire process of getting to know you and asking you and all that jazz but I feel it’s only fair to let you know now what your unfortunate fate is likely to be. :-p
179. I like the way you can fit an entire Harry Potter novel (the big one) into a little pocket in your purse (that thing is bigger than you for chrissakes!!! What on earth do you have in there?)
180. I like the fact that you know what I’m shopping for and you’re sneaky enough to be able to find out what exactly I’m getting you by LYING to me!!!! (you weren’t shopping for books yourself at all you little horror)
181. I like the fact that even after writing 181 things about you that I like… I still can’t explain to anyone why exactly it is that I like you (very confusing). I start by saying “it’s the way she….” And then I trail off because I know it’s the way you do something but I still can’t place my finger on exactly what.
182. I like that when I read “Only love is real” by some nut job talking about how sometimes you feel inexplicably connected to someone as soon as you meet them because you were connected in a past life - I actually thought “Nah… it can’t be… or could it?” I think I’m going nuts :-p
183. I like that when we go camping I can get a pea pod for you as a sleeping bag
184. I like the way you yell yourself hoarse at a Bryan Adams concert and send me annoying messages letting me know that you’re in love with him. What’s he got that I haven’t HUH? (Well apart from money, talent, looks, fame, success, 3 Ferraris and all that sort of crap)
185. I like the way you managed to restrain yourself from making a pass at young Kanishk at the concert and not climbing on his back to see the show better, despite your weakness for younger boys. (At least I hope you managed to restrain yourself)
186. I like the way you’re slowly blossoming and meeting people and doing things and slowly but surely becoming stronger day by day
187. I like your voice when you sing (yes I know I haven’t heard you sing yet.. hint hint)
188. I like that you STILL don’t want to let me see your CV because you’re afraid what I’ll think of your marks even though random people I HAVEN’T EVEN MET from ALL OVER THE WORLD send me their resumes to look at.
189. I like that you tell me things like you were happy the first time I seemed a little down after a long day at work because you were beginning to get worried that I was completely perfect (blush)… btw you are perfectly perfect.
190. I like that I know the perfect books for you - Charlie & The Chocolate Factory” and “Charlie and The Great Glass Elevator” by Roald Dahl - Read them! Read them! Read them! They were written for babies exactly like you
191. I like the way people who sit behind you make scrap books of strands of hair that have fallen on their desk and the way you wonder if they’re nuts or not. (They’re not.. I would have done exactly the same thing :-p)
192. I like being with you
193. I like that you had no idea that I liked you when we met. How naïve can you get?
194. I like that you will probably sue me if you find out what we put into your liquid soap (gulp - you wouldn’t really would you?)
195. I like that you have great colour co-ordination in your dressing - your sandals match your top (very cool)
196. I like that no matter how simply you dress you look you look elegant
197. I like that despite the fact you look like a supermodel you behave like the girl next door (who left after I started hitting on her unfortunately)
198. I like that your writing style is just like you - understated and shy but at the same time clear, consistent and beautiful
199. I like that you tell me that sometimes you just don’t feel like talking about things but you’d go mental worrying yourself if I told you that there was something that was on my mind that I didn’t want to talk about. You’d pester and pester and pester
200. I like that you’re stubborn
201. I like that you’re not stubborn
202. I like that you’re full of contradictions and yet you make so much sense
203. I like you
27th August 2004
204. I love you because you can read my mind (although this also scares me like hell)
205. I love you because you’re cheeky enough to demand that I write 300 things I like about you even though you’ve never written more than 5-10 things yourself
206. I love you because you have cheeks softer than jelly
207. I love you because your skin is smoother than satin
208. I love you because when you haven’t shaved your arm has cute li’l stubble on it (and yes this is going on the internet :-p)
209. I love you because you’re so flexible and accomodating
210. I love you because you’re so demanding (oof.. take you out on your birthday even though I have viral fever and write 300 things I like about you… now that’s what I call high maintenance)
211. I love you because you look 10 years younger than you actually are
212. I love you because you act 20 years younger than you actually are
213. I love you because you’re mature enough not to get freaked out by my bizarre impulsive behaviour at times
214. I love you because you accept uncomplainingly my poor jokes and my ridiculous dreams and my hectic lifestyle and my dodgy past and my horrible dress sense and skin infection and my crazy family and friends and my uncertain future career choices (actually you do complain about my poor jokes now that I think of it)
215. I love you because you’re nothing like what I’d expected my wife to be like and yet you’re exactly what I need (shows how little I knew)
216. I love you because you make me drink lots of water
217. I love you because you occasionally force yourself to eat non-veg for me (you don’t need to you know)
218. I love you because you’d beat the crap out of me if I didn’t
219. I love you because from the moment I saw you, even before you’d spoken a word I had a feeling we might end up together (though I was worried that you were only 13 years old until you told me your age)
220. I love you because you get chocolate in every single crevice in your teeth when you eat pastry
221. I love you because you make me feel special on my birthday by going against your Kanjoos nature and splashing out on presents
222. I love you because you watch movies that you’ve already seen without telling me you’ve seen them because you know I’d like to watch them
223. I love you because I know you’ll take care of me in the ways that I need to be taken care of
224. I love you because I know I can take care of you in the ways you need to be taken care of
225. I love you because no matter what else is happening in my life I feel peaceful and happy when I’m with you
226. I love you because I can watch you for hours
227. I love you because you’re shooo schmall
228. I love you because when we walk with our hands around each other’s waists we just seem to fit
229. I love you because your forehead is such a convenient height for kissing when I say hello or bye
230. I love you because I do (and for chrissakes… stop asking for reasons!)
231. I love you because when I write a list of things that could potentially be problems in our relationship you squeal “Oh my god.. it goes to three pages!!!” and then ….you calmly add five additional points to the list
232. I love you because when I do things that I think will make you happy it comes naturally to me and I don’t feel like I’m making a compromise or sacrifice.
233. I love you because you give me dolls that look just like you (same size, same unmanageable hair)
234. I love you because YOU’RE a doll
235. I love you because you weigh nothing when you dance on my toes on the roof under the starlit skies
236. I love you because you weigh so much in the day time that when your side of the see-saw goes down… IT NEVER COMES UP!!!
237. I love you because you wouldn’t be able to think an evil thought about the meanest people even if you tried
238. I love you because you giggle when I tell you my evil thoughts about even the most harmless souls (I do this with no effort whatsoever)
239. I love you because you’re reasonable and flexible
240. I love you because you complement me - I’m exuberant, you’re demure, I’m impulsive, you’re cautious, I’m a big spender, you’re a kanjoos, I’m a fruit, you’re a chocolate, you love dogs, I’m a puppy, etc, etc.
241. I love you because you tell all your friends nice things about me
242. I love you because you make fun of my Hindi (which is way better than yours by the way you desi phirang)
243. I love you because your direction sense is so bad that forget about knowing North from South… you don’t even know the difference between up and down!!!!
244. I love you because you speak to God on a regular basis to get rain for us
245. I love you because there is hardly any topic that you have any fixed views on
246. I love you because its’ easier to do than to understand you :-p
247. I love you because you’re so ‘zen’ like - unadorned, simple, quiet and natural
248. I love you because somehow the wind/waves/trees/temperature/clouds all conspire to make romantic weather whenever we’re together
249. I love you because you fly with me down the footpaths when I’m superman, hold onto me as I swing from lamp post to lamp post when I’m spiderman and stick out your hands when I’m Leonardo de Caprio in Titanic
250. I love you because you’ve got a beautiful voice
251. I love you because you honestly are the most beautiful girl in the world
252. I love you because you wear a seatbelt for me (and you’d better keep wearing it - if you’re going to risk your life on a daily basis then so will I so there!)
253. I love you because you say that you actually want to make food for me and that it would make you happy to do so (yeah right! Like I belive that)
254. I love you because your parents have brought you up to be need based (as long as it’s your own money you’re need based, if it’s someone else’s.. hmmm….)
255. I love you because we’ve scandalised half the taxi drivers in Bombay
256. I love you because if I didn’t, after writing over 250 nice things about you, it would be such a horrible waste of invested time that it doesn’t bear thinking about
257. I love you because it’s very comfortable lying in your lap with my eyes closed
258. I love you because you’re logical and mathematical
259. I love you because I know you’ll do whatever I say but at the same time you know that I’ll do anything you say
260. I love you because I was meant to
261. I love you because you tell me that since you’ve met me you’ve become more optimistic about life and more confident about yourself
262. I love you because you disturb me in the middle of no. 58 and then give me a five second scolding, for not calling you to wish you at midnight, before hanging up
263. I love you because everytime I meet chocopea, PEA gets released in my brain that triggers sensations that you would get from eating chocolate (check Google out for “PEA love chocolate” and see if that clears up this one :-p)
264. I love you because you get spooked out in scary plays and jump like a li’l mouse
265. I love you because you’re more curious than a cat (which is surprising since you’re a li’l mouse)
266. I love you because when I window shop for furniture with you it feels like I’m with the right person
267. I love you because you’re one of the few people who keeps pestering me to sing instead of pestering me to stop forever
268. I love you because everytime we pass a mirror you give yourself a li’l peek to make sure you’re still looking like Audrey Hepburn
269. I love you because everytime we use escalators you hop onto the step two steps higher than mine and pretend you’re taller than me
270. I love you because you have unmanageable curly hair
271. I love you because you need someone older and wiser telling you what to do. I’m 27 going on 28.. I’ll take care of you.
272. I love you because you don’t know any TV programmes and have never seen truly great films like Star Wars and Ferris Beuller’s day off. There’s so much education I have to give you!
273. I love you because I can see your future when you put your palm in my palm - ie.. your hand in my hand
274. I love you because you have a beautiful name (ie Pedu… what name did you think I was referring to?)
275. I love you because you have one very sweet friend and one very nutty friend and you’re a mixture of both - a regular fruit and nut chocolate!
276. I love you because even when you’re dressed as a behenji you still turn heads
277. I love you because I like spending time playing with kids
278. I love you because I’m going to spend the rest of my life with you so it makes damn good sense to
279. I love you because you keep going “Oof! No na!” every time I don’t understand something you say
280. I love you because you don’t put any conditions on me
281. I love you because you never slapped a restraining order against me even when I was stalking you (and you’re a lawyer too)
282. I love you because you make fun of me for being so vain but never tell me that I’m wrong to be vain
283. I love you because you send me spam messages that somehow seem relevant to what I’m thinking when I get around to opening them
284. I love you because you trust me
285. I love you because I trust you
286. I love you because I’m a better person when I’m around you (or at least better behaved)
287. I love you because your passport size photos are actually life size!
288. I love you because almost every single song I hear or movie I see or book I read has verses, scenes or paragraphs that remind me of you
289. I love you because your foot keeps spurning the advances of my foot (violently too!)
290. I love you because it occasionally gives up
291. I love you because you’ve got a pokeable nose
292. I love you because you’ve got nibblable ears
293. I love you because you pick me up at 7am in the morning from the station, drive me around all day and then drop me to the airport in the night (hmm.. even if it was the wrong one :-p)
294. I love you because you feel guilty for dropping me off at the wrong airport even though it wasn’t your fault
295. I love you because you keep wringing your hands “out out damn spot, will these hands never be clean”
296. I love you because your hand fits snugly in mine
297. I love you because you let me play with your hair clip
298. I love you because you’re happy just to be with me (if I’m awake)
299. I love you because despite your dainty appearance you’re a lot more resilient than you look
300. I love you because you carry a HUGE bag with you every where you go just like a turtle carries its home on its back (you probably have a bedroom somewhere in your bag too!)
301. I love you because you’re completely oblivious to the disgusting dirty jokes that Mitva, Baby Sis and myself make. Schooo innochent. Pooo baby.
302. I love you because you’re never anything but what you actually are
303. And most of all….. I love you because you’re never going to make me write one of these lists again
29th July 2013
I love you because…
1. …You’re a kootie and a hottie. So hot that blue supergiants turn green in envy
2. …You’re gentle and loving and patient but still a li’l rebel
3. …You have the most kissable feet in the world. Far better than Shiju’s, Girish’s, Ash’s, etc.
4. …You have little obsessions that flare up and disappear - one day guitar, one day cartooning, one day jogging, one day learning Ancient Roman History (!!!???)
5. …You’re the best mom in the world by a country mile and it shows in Kaeyoo’s smile and sweetness and intelligence
6. …You’re artistic and creative
7. …You make me laugh and more importantly you laugh at anything I say
8. …You’re an atheist (phew.. dodged a bullet)
9. …You’re the one girl I’ve lusted after who didn’t double in size (phew… dodged a bullet)
10. …You’re a super coach (but not better than me)
11. …You’re a copy cat - my hobbies, my signature, my sense of humour. No fair!
12. …I’m hopeless at staying in touch with people who aren’t there and you’re the link to Shivani and Tim. Saves me loads of guilt
13. …You’re completely transparent when you lie and say “I don’t care if it’s a foreign holiday or not”, yet you believe yourself
14. …You finally came to accept Chembur
15. …You’d support me in doing whatever I wanted with my career (how many husbands get that freedom?)
16. …You trust me completely in a really weird way “If you had an affair I know you’d tell me”. It’s like.. I don’t trust your fidelity but I do trust your honesty
17. …You’re willing to try drugs but won’t let Kaeyoo eat chocolates because HE might get addicted
18. …Your giggle is the most beautiful sound in the world
19. …There are so many times in a day that I look at you and my breath stops because I’m like.. Damn she’s hot!!!! I can’t believe how lucky I got
20. …When I say something like “tell Shweta we won’t approach her for business for a year” even in the middle of silent treatment I can see admiration in your eyes and I know that no matter how annoyed you are with me, in the middle of all that anger is a love that’s unquenchable
21. …You try to sneak into my study and boot me out. But as a strategy master of diplomacy I know keep you at bay with untidiness
22. …You don’t expect me to help out in the kitchen and cooking, let me be a spoilt Indian man, do all the housework and still give me credit for being a non-traditional husband
23. …No matter how tired you are, you never ever snap at Kaeyoo or give less than 100%. It’s unbelievable.
24. …You’re the meaning of my life
25. …You collect as many snaps of our time together and relive them again and again and again telling me that you love the time we spend together
26. …We’ve grown up together
27. …We created life together
28. …You had one mango omelette and made a decision to never ask me to cook ever again in your life. Not even for romantic purposes, not even for small things, no exceptions. None.
29. …You make all the guys envious of me
30. …You look after the food, bills, important papers, holiday visas, etc. Basically you stop me from dying.
31. …You make life worth living
32. …We’ve seen so much together and we’re going to see the whole world together
33. …You tried to get me to read history books to you instead of reading them yourselves
34. …We giggle going Kaeyoooooo, Mamaaaaa, Dadeeeeeee, Chhotoooooo all the way to the mall and back
35. …I prefer watching you watching comedy shows than actually watching the shows myself. Nothing better in the world than seeing you smile
36. …Every time I get you flowers you’re like… "someone gave you those!!!"
37. …You used to cry about your CV. Now you inspire IIM/ISB grads
38. …I can write 38 things I love about you in 20mins
39. …The only person who’s CV looks weirder than mine Engineering, CA, MBA, Sales, Project manager, Trainer Is yours - BCom, Lawyer, Teacher, HR Manager, Mother, Coach, Cartoonist
40. …You just surrender to my planning and itinerary on holidays.. practically singing “I will follow him.. follow him wherever he may go…” (I did not cry in Sister Act 2)
41. …You don’t tell everyone that I cried in Kae Po Che, It’s a wonderful life, Sister Act 2, Hannah Montana. I suspect it’s partially because you would be embarrassed to admit you married someone like that
42. …You don’t use soap on your face despite chasing dirt with soap scrubbings everywhere
43. …Our baby makes a mess like me and then goes to get a tissue like you
44. …Our baby feels bad if someone else gets hurt like me but also bites them like you :-p
45. …You never judge me for any of the politically incorrect things I say
46. …*Censored*
47. …You’ve started proactively letting Papa and Mimi into Kaeyoo’s life more
48. …You allow me to keep my strange sleeping/waking timings. I can’t imagine another wife not nagging me about it
49. …You let me keep our ‘endless dance’ painting up on the wall and somehow you’ve learned not to see it anymore so that it doesn’t poke you in the eyes
50. …You’re the girl I’m endlessly dancing with
51. …You used to claim that you could only write 10 things about me that you liked because “I’m not creative” and now you’re like “Hell yeah I’m creative! 101.. bring it on”
52. …You’re a baby
53. …You’re my friend, lover, guide, confidante, gossip partner, nagger, support, inspiration and the centre of my universe
54. …You run like Mr Bean
55. …Even in a Stillwater t-shirt you’re still a rebel (why can’t I wear something different?)
56. …You still get happy even after all these years if I take you for a little date at a Barista
57. …You’ve been part of me for ten years
58. …While invading my study protect your toilet and send all the maidservants to use my toilet despite the screams and nudity and shocks. It’s like.. “I don’t care… my toilet … MY toilet”
59. …You finally got a lock put on my toilet so you could keep your toilet
60. …You keep trying to help me carry the shopping and Kaeyoo even though you’re scho schmall
61. …You still fit into my pocket
62. …You’ve finally started reading Roald Dahl books, 10 years after I got you Charlie and the Chocolate factory when you used to pretend to like chocolate because you didn’t know what to talk about
63. …You walk out in the middle of a conversation with a friend with no explanation and then wonder why Girish and myself are rolling around laughing when you’re trying to say how not assertive you are
64. …You have absolutely no idea where the money comes from or where it goes even though you’re a Maroo
65. …You check on me from time to time just to make sure I’m not being too absent minded professor - inform me “It’s hot in here”, switch on the fan and then leave
66. …Your nose, your cheeks, your lips, your eyes, your skin
67. …Your cuddleability
68. …I can tell you’re about to check my face for shaving completeness and I have to run away and shave before I can come out again or you’ll rag me
69. …You patiently tell me… there is fresh underwear.. every few days
70. …You love your immediate family and have no time for relatives unless they’re cool
71. …You can create a website!
72. …You forbid me to paint on the walls in the living room but allow me to be a kid in the study
73. …You can manage to look after two babies
74. …You tried to teach Sarika while she was living with us
75. …You manage the servants masterfully with no drama
76. …I never think about life would be like if I had married someone else. I always think.. couldn’t have done any better in a billion years
77. …You have no knowledge about any of the subjects you’ve studied. Like at all!
78. …With respect to continental chicken you believe in ‘if at first you don’t succeed, try, try and try again till you do’ (yum!)
79. …You wake up in the night, put Kaeyoo to sleep and then go back to sleep almost on autopilot
80. …You go bpfhh and stick out your tongue
81. …You get very competitive at board games and dumb charades and taboo, etc
82. …You’re such a phirang. Can’t believe that Mumma was worried that I would be too foreign!
83. …You see cat’s that nobody else does and then insist you actually saw the cat and somehow you’ve passed this trait on to Kaeyoo.
84. …We sometimes say the same thing at exactly the same time in exactly the same tone with exactly the same inflections
85. …*Censored*
86. …Your voice
87. …Your Aubrey Hepburnesque elegance
88. …Your li’l hand in my hands
89. …Your character. You know the things that are the most important. Kaeyoo, me, family. Everything else is everything else.
90. …When you’re angry and silent I’m wondering ‘what the hell is she writing for so long?’ And it’s actually 101 things you love about me
91. …You listen to me tell the matter and mushroom jokes again and again without snapping, banging my head against the table and stuffing matter and mushroom down my throat yelling “here have your damn..”
92. …We’re the coolest couple in the world
93. …You see me looking stressed and my room in a mess and then you try to calmly talk me down from the ledge and get me to write a to-do list
94. …We did, to our credit, also make a really nice painting as well. Jumping around in yellow and orange sunset backgrounds
95. …I don’t get bored of talking to you in the car even when it would seem likely we would run out of things to say after 10 years. Every drive to Ghatkopar feels fresh
96. …Because when I say Ghi I know you’re going to say Ghi
97. …I just lub oo
98. …*Censored*
99. …You’ve trained Kaeyoo to lecture me about my cold drink habits
100. …Every chapter in my life for the last ten years has had you in it and it makes the story worth reading.
101. …I could have gone on and on and on.
From Tiku to me 100 things she loves about me :-)
1. Our marriage is based on complete honesty and trust - and you are the one who created that.
2. I have so much freedom in our marriage. I am so grateful for that. How many women have that in India.
3. You make me laugh
4. You know just the right thing to say when I’m feeling low because another mother criticized me.
5. *Censored*
6. I love how you stand up for what you believe in and can argue and persist against the rest of the world
7. I love that you’re still so idealistic
8. I love you because you go out of your way to help some one in need
9. I love that making a difference is what motivates you and not money
10. I love that I think you are/will be successful in whatever you choose to do and I know I’m right
11. I love that even though humility is not your best forte, you can’t understand why people admire you so much
12. I love how you profess to be so confident and don’t care about what other people think, you glow when someone calls you the best trainer they’ve seen
13. I love how you can read a 1000 page book in one night
14. I love how you keep telling me that I should get a hobby, and then when I actually get interested in something (photography) you tell me to do something else.
15. I love how you can navigate your way so easily in a completely different country
16. I love that you want to take care of your parents because they’re getting old
17. *Censored*
18. I love that sometimes you go and spend time with ma pa in noida
19. I love that you trust me so completely that you wouldn’t mind if I went on a holiday with a guy
20. I love that you want me to be a better person
21. I love that sometimes when I’m stuck, I wonder what would K do in this situation and then take action
22. I love how you still tell your mushroom and mattar jokes
23. I love how you get competitive any time someone is doing even slightly better at some sport
24. I love how you’re completely oblivious to how good you look (esp in a suit)
25. I love how you read books to me and explain stuff when I want to learn about something
26. I love how every once in a while you get me flowers
27. I love how you can bounce back after an argument as if nothing’s happened while it takes ages for me to get over it
28. I love it when you kiss my toes (even though all I’m wondering at that time is if they’re clean)
29. I love how you seem to know exactly when I need a big hug
30. I love that you don’t expect me to cook or clean
31. I love that you’re so comfortable in your skin to be so goofy
32. I love that I know, 15 years from now, I will be sending Kaeyan back into the bathroom to shave properly
33. I love how you’re so fearless
34. I love that you’re passionate about so many things
35. I love that you want the best for everyone
36. I love the shocked looks on people’s faces when you tell them you’re actually an introvert
37. I love how you let nothing stop you from doing what you want to do
38. I love how you become almost a master at anything that interests you even if you know nothing to start with
39. I love how your dancing is so famous but I haven’t even seen it in the last 10 years!
40. I love that no matter what Kaeyan chooses to do you’ll be there to guide him
41. I love that you are independent and happy
42. I love how you used to protect your ‘den’ but immediately made space for me when I started working
43. I love how you still try to protect it by filling it up with stuff so there’s no space for me! Hmph
44. I love that I don’t have to worry about how much I’m spending
45. I love that you tell me ‘you’re the only one for me’ ten years after we’ve been together!!
46. I love how much you enjoy your work that it doesn’t feel like work to you
47. I love how random people call you, email you and spend days at our place
48. I love that you love the rains
49. I love how you enjoy the times when most people are cursing it
50. I love how you keep taking bigger and bigger challenges for yourself
51. I love that even though you’re an entrepreneur, love what you do, are making a difference, have authored a book - you feel like you don’t know what you want to do in life
52. I love that you embody what you teach
53. I love how you completely love yourself
54. I love how anyone who interacts with you falls in love with you
55. I love that you know something about everything and a lot about a lot of things
56. I love how you tell the participants in a workshop that if you do a google search it will show you results in .34 seconds!
57. I love that you really are google personified
58. I love that you’re so strong that you can carry chotu all the way down the hill and then climb up the hill in Santorini
59. I love how you splurge on chotu and make sure I don’t feel guilty about splurging on him either
60. I love how you want only one particular pair of shoes and will go to any lengths to find it!
61. I love the sheepish look you give me every time I ask if you’ve changed your underwear
62. I love that you wrote a 101 things you love about me 10 years back and started this positive spiral of appreciation
63. I love that even when I read it today I smile and blush exactly the same way I did when I first read it
64. I love that you can really see the good in every person and can probably write a list for each one
65. I love how you insist on putting the paintings we made right in the living room
66. I love how I (we?) have become superstitious about it that I would never risk putting the painting down again
67. I love that I can write this list even though I’m hopping mad and hurt and reflective, all at the same time, just now and that just strengthens my belief in our love
68. I love that you support me in anything I want to do - law, teaching, ngo, coaching, guitar, history etc etc
69. I love that I feel so lucky each day knowing that I’m married to you and not to any one else
70. I love you because even the worst days with you are better than most days would have been with some one else
71. I love how you get so affected when you think someone has been treated unfairly
72. *Censored*
73. I love how you completely ignore dadu and family while I’m best friends with Shivvy and family (hmph!)
74. I love how you stand up for women’s rights and then make jokes about their right place being in the kitchen
75. I love how the whole world knows about the time I ran away from the room when I didn’t understand your friend’s accent (in my defense it was 4am India time! and it was 7 years ago!)
76. I love how even though you’re so nonchalant about your clothes, you want exactly those shoes and exactly that watch and exactly that phone
77. I love how you think coke is a substitute for water and how even your pee looks like coke!
78. I love how you refuse to show me the boil on your bum even though I insist and I’ve seen it before
79. I love how I worry about your health but then I think nah, nothing’s gonna happen to him
80. I love that I know I’m right because you’re definitely from another planet (how is it even possible!)
81. I love that every time I see an inspirational quote, I think ‘wow, he’s already living it’
82. I love that I respect and admire you not just because you’re my husband but because of the person you are
83. I love how the mess in your room is directly proportionate to how stressed you are
84. I love how anyone can tell what you’re interested in at any given time just by looking at the pile of books on your table
85. I love how you know the lyrics to every 80′s song
86. I love that even though I complain about the level you’re involved in parenting, I know you’re going to be the best parent in the world and a perfect role model chotu could have
87. I love that I want Kaeyan to be exactly like you
88. I love that you wanted to have a girl just so you could give her a fantastic life that most other girls don’t get
89. I like the way you speak - clear, logical and simple
90. I like how you can make even complex subjects simple to understand
91. I like the way you write - logical when you want to be and poetic when you want to be
92. I love how you can make fun of even the most stressful situations
93. I love how you make fun of Girish about laughing at his own jokes but feel so smug whenever you crack a good one
94. I love you because you’re inspirational
95. I love that I know there will always be laughter in our house
96. I love that even though you’d rather be left alone, you try to be a family man
97. I love that you think you can change the world
98. I love that I know that you will
99. I love that even though you’ve accomplished so much there’s so so so much more in you
100. I love that you live by the principles you teach - clarity, honesty, ownership, commitment and win-win!
101. I love that I can still write a 101 things I love about you