About me

A dear friend, who is a poet, often tells me that if given an opportunity to write about myself, I can write words comparable to the volume of Nile and yet not reveal anything about me. Pati (my dear husband), on the other hand, suggests that all poets are crazy and, hence, I shouldn’t take my crazy friend too seriously. In order to finally decide the winner among the two, I shall gracefully accept this opportunity to describe myself as well as I can on this page. Victory shall be his who spoke the truth. The truth that we shall discover here on.

The basic a/s/l: I am an average homo sapien of the female kind. You must regularly see many like me at your local gym sweating on a treadmill, the neighborhood library hunched over a laptop, a popular fresh food eatery gobbling down salads, soups and juices, or on road driving a vehicle that doesn’t unnecessarily bump into other vehicles on the road.  That’s me in a nutshell. Just a tiny part of a bigger crowd. Born in India, raised in Canada, lived in UK and moved to US this year when biological clock celebrated its existence of 26 years.

My name: Roop … Roop Rai.

My personal life: Happily married to a fool I like to call Pati. All of us need a reason to wake up in the morning. For some, it’s their job, their family, loved ones. For others, it’s their creative pursuits, talents, hopes of making it big one day. For me, it’s solely Pati. I want to wake every morning to see him scroll through his Iphone reading New York Times opinion columns and cuddle with him while he rests his free arm protectively around me. Bliss. I want to spend my days thinking of the evening when I’ll get to see him again. Peaceful anticipation. I want to spend my evenings struggling to understand my existence and the purpose of my life with him patiently listening to my animated philosophical insights with a bemused look on his face. Endearingly cute. I want to spend my nights laying in his arms with his warmth shielding me from the cold AC air. Some use after all. :D

Other than that, I do have a sister and a brother I care madly about. Grandmothers I madly adore. Grandfathers who I used to adore when they were alive. Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, and oh yes Parents too ;p. The works really. All of them. (Including in-laws side of course).

My interests: Excessively infused with energy, I’d follow any creative path that lures me to keep my overactive mind occupied. One day, I’d be writing a novel in hopes of winning the next Booker and the next day, I’d be enacting a role play practicing to accept my first Oscar in the Best Director category. However, after years of explorations, I’ve managed to decide on a list with my most favorite activity topping it. Here it goes:

1. Writing

2. Dancing

3. Writing

4. Dancing

5. Writing

Besides that, I find it fulfilling to volunteer with Non-Profit organizations that work with victims of domestic abuse and any gender-related issues because I understand them best due to personal experiences. The look in someone’s eyes when I’d apparently made their day better by only talking to them for just an hour is better than being handed a cheque for an hour’s work. I strongly believe that all of us have it in us to give to the society. If we think we are too busy for it, it is merely a state of mind. There always is time to do the right thing. Before this gets too serious, I like reading books too once a while although I must admit that I am not a big reader. Yes, I am often told that to be a good writer, you must be a good reader. (Shh, don’t tell anyone but I disagree.) Like many other things (including the theory of relativity), I back Einstein when he says:

Any man who reads too much and uses his own brain too little falls into lazy habits of thinking.

Voila! I couldn’t have said it better myself, Einstein! ;)

My friends: Everyone I know. Everyone I talk to. Everyone who can tolerate me. :)

Summary: That about sums me. Who is the winner? Crazy Poet or Pati? I’d let you decide.