Monica Pradhan
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Rocket science would have been easier...
Female
40 years old
on Lake Michigan, Michigan
United States
Last Login: 3/17/2009
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Mood:
stoked
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Monica Pradhan's Interests
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| Movies | I've loved so many, but what have I watched over and over? Mostly, fun ones. Here are some, off the top of my head:
Enchanted
13 Going on 30
Love Actually
Monsoon Wedding
Until September
Grease
Kindergarten Cop
10 Things I Hate About You
Bend it Like Beckham
Chocolat
Dil Chata Hai
(The Heart Wants)
Dil to Pagal Hai
(The Heart is Crazy)
| | Television | I watch TV on the treadmill, and I'm anal-retentive enough to alphabetize this list:
24
The Biggest Loser
Bones
The Closer
The Daily Show
The Dog Whisperer
E.R.
Gossip Girl
Grey's Anatomy
Heroes
House
In Plain Sight
Lost
Medium
My Own Worst Enemy
The Sopranos
The Unit
Without a Trace
| | Books | I can only read so many depressing books before I need a break. I crave light, intelligent fare.
ALL-TIME FAVORITES:
The Poisonwood Bible
by Barbara Kingsolver
The Sneetches
by Dr Seuss
CURRENTLY READING:
Morality for Beautiful Girls
by Alexander McCall Smith
RECENT READS:
I Know This Much is True
by Wally Lamb
The Hours
by Michael Cunningham
Digging to America
by Anne Tyler
ALWAYS READING:
M F K Fisher
| | Heroes | Dr Seuss
Nancy Drew
Barack Obama
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Monica Pradhan's Details
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| Status: | Married | | Hometown: | McLean, VA | | Body type: | 5' 5" / Slim / Slender | | Ethnicity: | East Indian | | Zodiac Sign: | Pisces | | Smoke / Drink: | No / Yes | | Children: | Love kids, but not for me | | Education: | Grad / professional school | | Occupation: | Novelist |
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Monica Pradhan's Schools
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University Of Cincinnati-Main Campus
Cincinnati, OH
Graduated: 1996
Student status: Alumni
Degree: Master's Degree
Major: M.B.A. Finance
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1995 to 1996 |
Syracuse University
Syracuse, NY
Graduated: 1991
Student status: Alumni
Degree: Bachelor's Degree
Major: Managerial Law & Public Policy
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1986 to 1991 |
Langley High
Mclean, VA
Graduated: 1986
Student status: Alumni
Degree: High School Diploma
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1981 to 1986 |
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Monica Pradhan's Networking
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Publishing - Writer - Novelist
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THE HINDI-BINDI CLUB: A Novel with Recipes; Bantam Dell Publishing Group, North America; Bloomsbury, United Kingdom; 2007.
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Monica Pradhan's Companies
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Deloitte Consulting
Midwest, US
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(after grad school)
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Fidelity Investments
Midwest, US
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(after undergrad)
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Monica Pradhan is thrilled about her little sister's engagement!
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Monica Pradhan's Latest Blog Entry
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Recent Reads - Jun / Jul 08
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Recent Reads - May 08
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Q & A
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Monica Pradhan's Blurbs |
About me:
ABOUT ME:
My name is pronounced "Mo--neeeee--ka," like the Bollywood song about the cabaret chick. (Think: Hindi equivalent of the Police's "Roxanne.") My parents emigrated from Mumbai, India, to the U.S. in the mid-1960s. I was born in Pittsburgh, grew up in the 'burbs of Washington, D.C., and met my husband during our third year at Syracuse University. Since then, we've called each of these places home (in order): New York, Maryland, North Carolina, Ohio, Georgia, Michigan, Minnesota, Ontario, New Jersey... and recently, back to Michigan.
I count good stories, good food, and good company among life's greatest pleasures...
My father fostered my love of books when I was growing up. He didn't have a privileged childhood but studied very hard from an early age, earning a full ride to an Ivy League university for his PhD. My dad always told me that when he was growing up, certain foods and all books were luxuries, and he always wanted to me have them, would never deny me those two things. This was his definition of "living the dream." His dream that he wanted to gift me. So throughout my life, I've been indulged to my heart’s content with food and books. My blessings, that my dad gave me, are what I want most to pass along to others...
I went through a long list of professions I wanted to be when I grew up. "Novelist" was the only one that didn't fall off the list--even when I, and everyone around me, fervently wished it would! I also realized fiction provided a way I could be all the professions I wanted, vicariously; and in many ways, fantasy is MUCH more satisfying than reality! Thus I grew up to be a novelist--with NO INTEREST in professional writing other than novels (no TV, film, etc), of my own creation, which are challenge enough for me. (This means thanks but NO THANKS, I don't want to: collaborate on a book with you, hear your great idea for a story, or write your biography.)
IN ANSWER TO TWO FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
What's next? Since my best-laid plans to be a one-book wonder have been foiled, I'm working on a sequel to THE HINDI-BINDI CLUB, tentatively titled THE BANGLE BAZAAR, which picks up Rani's story where I left off. No idea when I'll be done. (We've moved three times in the last three years, and I'm tired!)
Why put recipes in my novel? Well, the first manuscript I ever wrote consisted of 300 pages of people eating. That was pretty much the whole plot. Needless to say, the manuscript is buried in the backyard, never to see the light of day. So, when it came to THE HINDI-BINDI CLUB, it wasn't so much that I decided to put recipes in my novel; rather, I put some stories in my cookbook. :)
MY WEBSITE:
www.hindi-bindi.com
On the above site, under "Events," you'll see a link back to this page. I did this after my first "identity challenge" on MySpace, which mostly cracked me up, but also made me kinda sad for people who obviously have no life and have to stoop so low as to make up gossip about little ole me!
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Who I'd like to meet:
WHOM I'D LIKE TO MEET:
Kindred spirits. People with heart. People with soul. Dreamers. Foodies. Artists.
I love (read: I'm addicted to) surfing profiles. SO many cool personalities; profile pages read like short stories! A click-click here, and a click-click there... ;) Before long, I haven't a clue how many degrees of separation I've ventured out, and I really don't care. Kinda like driving around a new place just to explore, not minding in the least if you get lost. Sometimes, I bookmark a profile I find interesting; sometimes, I send a friend request. I don't expend copious mental energy deliberating such decisions; it's a gut/impulse thing, like candy in the check-out aisle. :)
Soooo, if you've received a friend request from me, and you're wondering: "Do I know you?" The answer is: "No." You would definitely remember me if we'd met. :)
If you're wondering, "Why me?" Feel free to send me a message, and I'll be happy to tell you. :)
If, however, you fall into any of the following categories, kindly click DECLINE and return to your life, already in progress:
1) Someone who takes this MySpace Friends stuff veeeeeerrry seriously; 2) A mean-spirited person (e.g., one who'd judge a book by its cover and post a review on Amazon without actually *reading* said book); 3) A high-maintenance/demanding friend.
MY FRIENDS:
Naturally, I consider my friends among the coolest people on the planet. Some of them, I'm fairly certain, are from ANOTHER planet, but that's beside the point...or maybe it IS the point. The point being: In respect for the privacy of my "very private" friends (who are NOT AT ALL amused by identity challenges and the rumor mill), I'm hiding my list.
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Monica Pradhan has 428 friends.
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