August 2007 Member of the Month: Essabee

[Lori]

Please join me in congratulating Essabee, our August Member of the Month!  I've learned so much from you about plants, Joy, both on this forum and others.  I also love the odd and exciting articles you share with us.  Thank you so much for all of your contributions to Petfish. 

Petfish Username: ESSABEE, ACTUALLY S.A.B. ; FOR Sujoy Abhigit Banerjee, my full name though except for some of my class mates none know it, they all call me Joy

When did you join Petfish? 26 Oct. 2006

What kind of fish do you keep? I love keeping community tanks. I love large schools of small fishes in large planted tanks. So I mix up Tetras, Rainbows, Barbs, Loach, Minnows, Danios, and some peaceful cichlids.
How long have you been keeping fish? Since before my teens.

Are you planning or working on any special fish related projects?  (like setting up a new tank, etc.) I am always planning my next tank. Yes I am working on the 'Dragon' and it is under wraps at present, but destined to enter the forum very soon.

TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF: 

Whereabouts do you live?   Ranchi, capital of the province Jharkhand (meaning forest region), is located on the NE Deccan plateau, the southern and old geophysical portion of India, just South of the Indo-gangetic plain. It is wonderful hilly, wooded region with mild climate and several primitive ethnic tribes forming 30% of the population, their dances are as spectacular as the African ones made famous by NG Society. The flora ranges from sal forest to mixed deciduous forest and the fauna contains all the Indian big-game and most of the smaller ones (not the alpine or rain forest species) of India. I would not like to live anywhere else in the world.

Do you have any other pets? Dogs, oldest are Dusty (M) and Khendi (F) Cocker spaniel, then comes Gooddoo (F) a half bred Lab, they are all 10 + in years. The younger lot just get into their 3rd year are Kheloo and Cony both female Cockers, and Danny the Irish Setter.

What other hobbies or special interests do you have? Oh, there were no end to my hobbies, now I limit them to gardening - fruits, vegetables and flowers - and to devising gadgets in my small little tool room. I had to give up my forest treks because of bad knees and my motor-cycle cross country on doc's advice.

Describe your family.  Yes I am married to Alta,and we have two sons. The elder, Moina, is an officer in the Indian army, he is married to Pooja (no grandchildren of my own as yet). The younger, Kochi, is engaged to Dipti, he has his own business in 'Pergo' floorings. Kochi has 4 tanks of his own. My mother, Mira, lives with us and she looks after Kochi's tanks when he is away. It was my mother who had a great hand in getting me into this hobby, even today she would visit each of my tanks every day and discuss the plants and fishes there. Alta keeps birds, and makes make playthings for them.

Do you like cheese? Mild Cheddar is my choice.

Other comments or information you'd like us to know about yourself? I drink, I smoke, and I seldom dress well.

[nickmax5]

gratz essabee well deserved thanks for helping me with some of my problems and questions about fish keeping

[mpp]

My sincere congratulations Essabee.  I also have mature children, smoke, and don't dress well (unless forced, I mean really, what's the point LOL)  I've appreciated your posts and respect your opinions.  Furthermore, I respect your fluency in English and I suspect there are other fluencies in other languages than your native tongue.  For this, sir, you have my respect as I know full well, what learning another language or two entails.
best regards
mike

[Gen Gen]

[potamus]

Congratulations!  I always love to read your thoughts on different things.

[Mollielover]

Congratulations Essabee!  I honestly think that you have got to be one of our most interesting members.  You always make me think when I read your posts and articles.  I enjoy learning about your culture and it was very interesting hearing about your family.
Enjoy the spotlight, I can't wait to learn more about you.

[gemini]

Congrats essabee! 

[Aiptasia]

Good Job, Essabee.

I'd love to go visit with you in your country sometime, although you might have to protect me from snakes. I've always wanted to go to India.

[Essabee]

Thanks everyone, and do feel invited to visit India and me. I promise to give you a tour of the forest, show you the wild life and don't worry about them you are safer with them than in the city. Aiptasia snakes are not so bad and they wish to stay away from you more than you wish to stay away from them.

[Lori]

Essabee, your area sounds beautiful.  Do you have pictures you could share with us?  (You can email them to me if you can't post them here.)  My best friend's husband is from India, and they went back there for a marriage ceremony that was spectacular (from the video at least).  His parents moved here when he was a baby.  They are all physicians here in the US, and Deepak is a very famous pediatric surgeon.  Don't know why I'm telling you all this, other than everything I hear about India sounds fascinating. 

So what do you make in your "small tool room?"  And I'm so curious about "the dragon."  Do we at least get hints?