Digging the Pigeonhole a Little Deeper!

“This post is a part of #UseYourAnd activity at BlogAdda in association with Gillette Venus“.

When I am asked “What do you do?”, I wish to answer “this AND that AND this one AND that one”, if only not for the fear of being looked at as insane!

I studied Biotechnology and yes, research is one of my defining identities. Just one of it! It is a delight to realize that those five years as a biotech student and seven years as a cell biologist could not button down my entirety to a small pigeon hole. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have made justice to my other pursuits that survived with me all the while. Perhaps, my LinkedIn profile might seem messed up to some, but I feel a step more content every time I add something new and weird to it. Come with me; take a dig deeper into those other facets I live with.

#1 A Cell Biologist

What has been declared already! In simpler terms, I grow cells, which normally grow within an organism, in a laboratory under artificial conditions. I also genetically engineer these cells in order to produce the raw form of a medicine that a cancer patient would have at some point in the treatment. At the moment, I am away from this part of me to take up an additional role that’s listed at the end.

AND

#2 An Artist

I’ve been doing oil paintings for a few years now. I usually tend to bring a subconscious contemplation on to the canvas. Sometimes, I also reproduce aesthetic structures and architectures that I get impressed with. Besides one public display, this aspect of me decorates my home and offers gifts to close acquaintances.

AND

#3 An Energy Healer

Studying energies is the most fascinating part in me. To identify their existence within us and around us and attune to the invisible was thrilling in the beginning; later it turned fulfilling as a form of healing art.

AND

#4 A Yoga Instructor

To bend the mind and breathe along with the body is an intimate act to experience. Ironically, most of them I taught yoga were too old even to bend a little. However, there was a subtle warmth in helping them connect their bodies with their breathe. And this part of me reminds me of the healthy living factor that I need to constantly strive for.

AND

#5 A Blogger

You are reading that part of me now! Pages from Serendipity was truly serendipitous in discovering a new callow form of expression in me. Apart from the little earnings, blogging also gave way to a career for me in writing.

AND

#6 A Writer

Where blogging took me to! At one point, when I dared to leave science behind for a while and switch to writing, I tried applying for writing jobs with just this blog url as my writing experience in my resume. That’s how I became a writer as well. I’ve written content on a variety of subjects and it’s always been a pleasure.

AND

#7 A Book Reviewer

Another child of my blog! Strangely, the few books that I wrote about in this blog caught the attention of a few publishers and authors. Now, I get more books than time for review and in fact, I host a book review blog at Nandhini’s Book Reviews. Books and newspapers can take us to stories other than our’s. And with the former, I have the privilege to choose the stories. For now, this is the second most active part of me.

AND

#8 A Freelancer

I have helped a children’s story book website with illustrations. I’ve did data mining with legal case files. I’ve tried my hands on information retrieval, ad hoc research and data research. All from the comfort of my home! And now I know, the freelancer in me will never go out of opportunities to earn and learn.

AND

#9 A Home Maker

What gives that sense of busy-ness in me! There are no weekends and no Sundays for this aspect! Without that orderliness of things at home, my mind would remain in chaos to pursue anything else. The home I’ve made and look after, for my family, is a joy beyond imagination.

AND

#10 A Passionate Cook

Idli, Dosa, Chutney, Sambar, Roti and Curry…….when I was endlessly making enough of all these, I began trying traditional recipes. And I felt the warmth of becoming what my mom is! I realize the cook in me has the best tool to express love to the family and in fact act as a savior to all of them. My recent cooking voyage is named Around the world in 80 days, that is, trying out international dishes, by countries from the West to the East, around the globe. I’ve crossed the Americas and Africa and presently exploring European cuisines.

AND

#11 A Mother

The priority for this phase of my life! The reason I meant, in the first of the list. Certainly, this isn’t a compromise. Everything else shall wait for a while until children grow a little, isn’t? If not for this role, none of the above could have filled the void the lack of it would have created.

AND

I hope to add more defining features in the years to come!

# Quilling

# An Author

# Swimming

# Astrology

could be among the few ANDs that I would add to this post in the future!

Thus said why I am not stamped into a pigeon hole 🙂 These several ANDs are what that make me whole, and complete my definition.

The journey through the ANDs is coming soon in my next post, The Story of my ‘ANDS’

Photo Courtesy: wallpaperwidehd.blogspot.com