Feb 6, 2012

My Loo, My Paradise



Paradise, technically, is probably a place you would never want to leave. If this were true, then my paradise can lie in one and only one place.

The Bathroom.

In order to explain myself, I must start at the very beginning. The apartment I grew up in was a warm and cozy double-bedroom. It was just enough for a family of three - my parents and me. I loved that little home dearly, and I probably still do. The place is so synonymous with the word 'home' for me, that even today my dreams are filled with that apartment, and not my current place of residence. I had a nice room all to myself, but the bathroom was where I got all the real privacy I needed.

Our bathroom was neat and simple; it had a tub, a toilet, a basin and a washing machine. I can still imagine being in it vividly, as though I were there only yesterday.  As an avid reader, imaginer, mirror-actor and day dreamer, it was the one place where all my antics would go completely unnoticed. And so I remained there for long periods of time. It was common knowledge in my family that once I went in, I rarely ever came out. People wondered what I could possible be doing in there for so long. Oh, if only they knew how the place came alive for me in more ways than one.  


Img Credit: nanny snowflake

Most of all, I liked to read in the loo. Especially during exam-time, when I wasn't allowed to read any story books. I would stuff a book under my shirt and dash inside. Once the door was locked, people were hardly likely to bother me because, well, I was in the loo, doing my business! That's legal, right? So I read and I read, and then I read some more. Coming out with the book wasn't always as easy, especially if someone was waiting to use the bathroom next. So I came up with hiding places - outside the window on the sill, behind the washing machine, the bottom of the laundry basket. Soon, I stopped being bothered to retrieve the books at all, so I always had my stash waiting for me when I sneaked in. This went on for long, until my mother one day discovered a high stack of books sitting on the sill. It was not a good day for me.

While there are several other things I did in there (refer to this post for more info), I find reading in the loo to be the most relaxing and stress-busting activity ever. In fact, I will now sheepishly let you in on a little secret of mine. I have read so much in the loo that now I cannot spend more than 15 minutes in a book store. Because if I do, I will have to go! Seriously, every single time. M says I'm psychologically wired that way for life.

So as you can see, I have had a long-standing relationship with my beloved bathroom. It is the place I go when I am happy or sad, when I must think and ponder, when I must read, or simply to get away. No I really do not need an expensive vacation to get away from the stresses of life, a few hours in the loo will work out just fine. The bathroom is such an important place to me that it is the first thing I look at when we're looking for an apartment to rent, or even in a hotel room. If the loo is good, I am good too.


Img Credit: rockinfree

But I must tell you that I have a dream as far as bathrooms are concerned. A dream bathroom, if you will. That is, if I ever write a book that will make me as rich as J K Rowling, the one thing I know for sure is the kind of bathroom I will build myself. I don't really care about the rest of the house or anything, it could be in ruins for all I care, as long as I get this room right. And I will now tell you exactly what I have in mind (rubs hands together gleefully :D ).

  • A minimum area of 400 sq.ft.
  • Two toilet stalls, each with their own door and separate exhaust. 
  • Two wash basins complete with mirrors and appropriate lighting.
  • Noiseless exhaust systems.
  • A shower room with glass doors, that also works as a steam room.
  • A bathtub.
  • A lounge area, consisting of but not limited to - a soft couch, a fully-stocked bookshelf, a massage table, LCD TV, laptop, WiFi connectivity, a bowl of exotic chocolates, a collection of aromatic oils.
  • A dressing area that has the softest of silken robes, the fluffiest of towels and the warmest of slippers. 
  • Super-ventilation with sunlight and fresh air pouring in from all sides. 

If you cannot possibly imagine the kind of room I'm talking about, please search Google Images for 'Luxury Bathrooms'. I assure you that you will still have no idea as to what I'm talking about. I have myself never set eyes on a bathroom like this except for in my imagination. If you do stumble upon a picture close to what I've described then pliss, pliss to be sharing with me, kindly :)

So now you know why my loo is my paradise. Do you share a special relationship with any of the rooms in your home? Do let me know!



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28 comments:

  1. Hehehehe!! Just awesome - but then, you already know that!! I agree with you on the loo fettish - i used to act - yes, ACT in the loo. I would become almost ALL of the characters I had read about.... and yes, my Mom used to bang the door too! :-)

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    1. Thanks so much Nirvana! Ahh, a fellow loo actor. How nice to know that. :)

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  2. A lovely read Sumitra! Many have indulged in this harmless pastime! This is an uncharted learning ground:)

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    1. Thank you Mr. Bhatia! Glad you liked the post.

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  3. :) :) I too read in the loo but you are way way ahead of me and frankly speaking I am not as passionate about any of the rooms as you are about the bathroom :) way to go Sumitra and I hope you get your dream bathroom soon enough :)

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    1. Oooh, nice to know you read in the loo too Purvi. I used to be like this but now, of course it has reduced a lot because there's no time :(

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  4. There is enough and more research to suggest that the washroom is a landmine for new ideas and rightly so.

    I loved the part about mirror actors, bathroom singers and day dreamers enjoying their clandestine freedom in the loo. I have heard of cases where people have had to sing to alert people they were in the loo while doing their business because the door lock was either broken or too jammed to work.

    I hope that your dream of building your dream bathroom materializes soon. You've done your washroom proud Sumitra :P.

    Good one.

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    1. Yep, a washroom is indeed a landmine for new ideas. Haha, that's really funny, singing to let someone know your in the loo :D. And thanks AS, hope it does materialize someday!

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  5. http://shinyinterior.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Modern-minimalist-bathroom-with-white-bathtub-and-wooden-cabinet.jpg

    http://www.contemporist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/hadahaa_180210_13.jpg

    http://www.interiordesignmagz.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/elegant-style-of-a-bathroom3.jpg

    http://hit-decor.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Marble_bathroom.jpg

    Should keep you drooling atleast for ten minutes :D
    A secret? I also need only bathrooms to survive :P Cheers!!

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    1. You too, PeeVee? No way! Nice pictures, thanks for sending them. These are really good in terms of the kind of things I'd want to have in my dream bathroom, but none of them shows the whole picture that I have in mind. Perhaps I'll just have to sit down someday and design it myself :D

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  7. I have done loo-reading a lot but not so much as the stacked books ;) And after reading your dream washroom I spent a considerable amount of my time googling luxury bathrooms and now I want one too. Couldn't resist the urge.

    And I have awarded you the versatile blogger award. Congrats :)

    Please visit http://www.keirthana.in/blog/2012/02/06/here-is-to-you/ to see for yourself and for more details on the award :)

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    1. Ooh, join the club Keirthana! Luxury bathrooms are the best, aren't they? Thanks for the award, dear. It means a lot :)

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  8. As funny as it sounds, your loo story is very fascinating to me. I probably do few things you do like getting in there whenever you need a solace to get better. But i have never seen or read about someone so far obsessed with their loo so much as you have mentioned about yours here. Its nice to know your loo story and its quite hysterical.

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    1. Hi Elvirah! Welcome to the Daily Moo. Glad you liked my loo story and found it funny. :D

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  9. Gosh, I so *get* what you mean! I have spent a large part of my childhood in the loo - reading and talking to myself and even writing poetry in my head. Now, I will stop, lest your blog readers think I am completely nuts. :|

    I still read in the loo; can't seem to shake off the habit, and I don't want too either. With my busy schedule, a few minutes stolen for reading in the loo are extremely rejuvenating. :)

    I love the kind of luxury bathrooms that you describe, and have myself dreamed of having one. I wouldn't want it to be WiFi enabled and all, but would want all the other points you mention. And bathtubs and lots of bubble baths and shower gels. :) :) :)

    May our loo-ing dreams come true!

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    1. No no, gal next door, I don't think you're nuts at all and I'm sure many won't. The reason for WiFi is so I can blog in the bathroom at will. I suppose the creative juices will flow overtime in such a place, no? Ooh, I forgot shower gels and bubble baths. Perhaps a shelf full of Lush products is what I'd include :D

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  10. I dont like reading in the loo at all.. in fact I am that girl who makes disgusting faces when someone tells me they spend hours in the loo reading or whatever. BUT If i had a bathroom like the one you described, then it would definitely be my special go-to place. I would happily live in that bathroom!

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    1. A big condition for me to spend a long time in the bathroom, of course, is that it should be spick and span. Else I'm out it just 2 seconds :D I also prefer to be the first one to use it in the day, so that everything is completely dry and others haven't ruined it for me. :D But yeah, the dream bathroom is just something else right?

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  11. nice post!
    would you maybe like to follow each other?
    xx

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  12. Oooh, as disgusting as it probably sounds, I love reading in the loo. And ditto, during the dreaded boards this used to be my secret reading place too! :D And the mirror was the only witness to my imaginary scenarios where, I would say the wittiest things to people and they would all be too stunned to reply. Ha ha! :D

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    1. It's so much fun to read in the loo especially during exams, isn't it Sruthi? Somehow it all gets too exciting and the books too engrossing :D Oh, and I did that too. If I had to come up with some witty retorts to mean people they would invariably strike me in the loo, and the mean expressions came out best then too.

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  13. :) Good read .. While people may not be open enough to accept it, most of us are at our instinctual best in the loo. That's where the smartest and innovative ideas strike us .. Am one of those with a stack of books in there, so loved reading this :)

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    1. Thanks, DB :) Yep, many people do get motivated by the environment in the loo and I'm definitely one of them :D Glad to you you're one of 'us'!

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  14. Ah, interesting. Never knew the loo could matter so much for someone! Having been on constant traveling, mostly by bus, I have been to some of the most pathetic loos in the country - the pay and use ones. Having seen them, I am only too happy to have a clean one with minimal embellishments. I would always tell my mom - I don't need a bunglow, I don't need anything at all - all I need is one room just for myself - with a charger for the laptop. Doesn't matter how small it is. :)

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    1. Aiyyoo, Sinduja, don't remind me of loos while travelling, I've seen horrible ones too. But I've always been blessed with good loos at home, thankfully, so perhaps that's what has contributed to my reading habits :) You know my husband says the same thing as you do - all he wants is a small room and a computer to work undisturbed.

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  15. haha! the post totally reminds me of my Husby's loo habits though he would probably not like the fact that I'm sharing it here ..lol! He started with books and moved on to playing games on his phone ! And he takes a really long time !! But I totally get you and I think the bathroom can be a perfect place for a little bit of 'me' time..I do that all the time when I'm visiting my in-laws ;) And the bathroom you described as your dream bathroom sounds like a wonderful place to catch up on some reading !!

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    1. Hi Natasha, welcome here. Looks like your husband and I are kindred spirits as far as bathrooms are concerned :D But games on the phone, nooo I can never try that. I have butter fingers, I actually dropped my phone into the toilet once, accidentally. So phone in the loo is not allowed for me :( Does sound very interesting though.

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