Winter is Coming: The Year End Saga

This Saga Starts again.
After a hiatus of about an year, I re start the report on the year that has gone by.

This year has been extremely interesting.
I have travelled, from one end of Mumbai to the other. With the amount of travelling that constituted each of my day (on an average 60 kms a day), I would have probably seen more of the world than the slums of Mumbai.

I have learnt several other hard lessons this year. The most important being the ones related to making the wrong career decisions, about money (or the lack of it), about loving my Dog, and missing my husband, about learning to enjoy personal walks in a city where the personal space is no bigger than where the peak of your nose is.

This year has been about a lot of churning. About how time waits for none, and about, how you think and perceive about the time that has gone by.

This year has also made me learn about Friends and Friendships. And that thing about "out of sight is out of mind". I learnt about, how good friends just move. Move away, and then they are different. And even though we will pick up from where we left, there are very few friendships that stick by you despite the distance.
I found a friend and a confidant in the most unexpected person ever. And, though he is Husband's BFF, the discovery of our ease with each other now ensures that I disturb him at the most in appropriate times.

There were other revelations as well, like, how I always felt that my parents need to really grow up and let go, and how I had thought that post marriage, they had.. well that is not true. Parents, are always that. And surprisingly, while my Dad is becoming rigid in terms of change, it has been my Mother, who is slowly learning to let go. Slowly being the key word. [She has accepted the Dog in the house, albeit only under strict supervision and guidelines, but they are a few meters apart, and are in peace with each other.. or so I hope]. There is a thirst of adventure that has taken over my Mom, and the fact that she wants to live the grand life through us is slightly unnerving, but then I need to show her things, refine her taste, and maybe in the whole scheme of things get her satisfaction quotient up a bit more.

The lessons in love and marriage never cease. It is amazing that even when you live with someone day in and day out you find something new about your partner, on an average in about every 2 odd days. For husband and me, it has been almost 11 years of being together, and he still doesn't take the hints. He still doesn't realise that I am on my phone most of the time, after I see that he is more interested in his! Or for that matter, the fun of watching a TV Series for me is watching it together with him, and for him it is, watching it as soon as it is out. So, yeah, finding the new things..


If there is a reason as why things happen, and so on and so forth, then I really hope to God, that three years after the first round of over haul, when we are back to the NCR, things change for the better for us. No, they were not bad in Mumbai. But yes, they can be better. Career-wise for both us, family wise, and of course general happiness wise.

As, I end this post, in anticipation to the next few ones about the year that flew by us, it has just rained outside, and while I know a certain friend of mine who also moved back to Delhi after a hiatus is going to curse the spell of rain, I see that the Winter is Coming! 

E is for Energy and Enthusiasm

Of which, I am totally out.
A long day, long long Day just came to an end.
With a heavy heart we dropped Sugar off to the kennel.

My mother is scared of dogs and they are coming to visit me at my marital home for the first time since I got married. Whilst am totally enthusiastic about their visit, am already drained out. 

What with sugar in the kennel, brooding husband and a day full of spring cleaning.

Energy out. Hopefully enthusiasm can make it.

The January Round up.. Politics Galore..

Today is the death anniversary of the “Father of the Nation”, a post that does not exist in our Constitution. A person who apparently laid down his life for our country. The one single person who fought with his “Principles” and not with the weapons and ultimately rid our country free from the British, but not from the pseudo briteshers who were left behind by our Country.

Let us face it people, the Gandhi who has been glorified in the history books was nothing more than a politician, who took full advantage of the situations in our Country and in South Africa. He is the reason for our problems.

He fought for the rights of the “Harijans”, but never did he encourage the Harijans to move ahead in life instead he made sure that there is reservation in the Constitution for them, thus creating   cementing the caste lines in our Country and lay down the foundation for the caste based politics to be born. So, whoever fights for Dalits has become a “Gandhi” and “pro-people”, and any one who doesn’t belong to the reserved category doesn’t even have the right to have a politician fight for them forget the assertion thereof.

No one in this Country has ever appreciated true talent (if you count the rigged reality shows, well then that is some) or merit. The government school suck. The private ones are becoming more expensive by the day.  There is no way that a child is getting educated. Literate for the heck of it yes. Educated. NO. A BIG NO.

We have the Kejriwals of today, who have become the Gandhi of today, by fighting the corruption and fighting for the “Aam Aadmi”. It seems, that they see “Nayak” every day at least 2 times, in order to motivate themselves that if Anil Kapoor could clear out corruption in 24 hours, they still have a lot more time. Except, that this is not a movie and that there is Zameen aasmaan ka difference between a 3 hour movie and the real life in which you have to run the state.

With his brand of “Nayak” politics, he is throwing Delhi back into an era when there was no water or electricity in the state. Roads sucked, and in the name of public transport there were the rickety blue line buses.

He promises subsidies, without realizing that the subsidies in one sector would be only be possible if he cuts down his expenditure in various other departments, like infrastructure. THE ONLY THING THAT MAKES DELHI A WORLD CLASS CITY.  But no, he will be his hysterical self, and ruin my Delhi. Promising in a manifesto is one thing, implementation without a practical approach is a suicide mission. In this case, the Delhi-ites who voted for him made sure that they are murdering the city.

I can only hope that the government falls and falls soon.

Which brings me to the national stage where Rahul- Baba, just made a fool of himself by saying “Empowering Women” would make all our problems go away. In that case, I think we might as well lock up all the idiots like him and maybe then roam and breathe a little free.

The coming few months will be a major circus happening when a shift in power will happen. This Kejriwal and his party will steal a share of a pie, and then coalition with them will be like a bitter pill, the kinds you cant swallow or throw out . Anarchy is sure going to rule the roost in the next couple of years in India.

I of course, wanna just leave it behind and go somewhere and start anew. A place where husband and I can get some space for ourselves and get a chance to build our lives on our set of beliefs, but then, what is writ is writ, and miracles and opportunities to cease are few and far. I don’t know where life shall when the year comes to an end, right now, of course, we are playing by the ear, and hoping for the best.

Sugar has grown up and each day she is becoming naughtier. I fall in love with her every day and get mad at her every day. I think it is the BEST thing in the world, to go back home to a doggie that jumps on you, loves you, bites you and is happy to see you back at home.

Office is great. Of course, Ms. PC was the BESTEST boss ever, and no one can match up to her but the current situation is better than the last one. All fingers crossed.

One month gone. The year has already started slipping. And it is time to cease the day. Life will keep on happening side by side.

The 2013 Closure Report

I think that everytime I write the year end post, it amazes me to no end that the year has ended and on the hindsight, I wonder wow, so much has happened in this year. And I survived.

The emotion does not change.

This year by far has been the MOST difficult year for me, in terms of both personal as well as professional growth. I was trying very hard to juggle between the roles of being a wife, daughter, daughter in law, sister, friend and a mom.  Most often than not, I lost my sanity. And, after a lot of deliberations and considerations, I decided that I need therapy. And, so, I got into counseling.

That has been the most valuable lesson to me in the entire year. That I am a human being and I am VULNERABLE. It is very hard for us as humans, especially for a person like me to accept that there are faults within the being of who you are and that it has to corrected. “Living in denial” probably holds true for me, and I guess one of the biggest achievements for me has been to realize that. Of course, I am working towards a new me but, it is a work in progress.. I am not perfect and I don’t intend to be either.

Another thing that I learnt this year was the impact of a “toxic environment” at work and the fact that it is the people who make the organization. I changed two jobs in this year. I left the law firm. I joined a corporate and now I am finally at a place where they appreciate my work  at work and the fact that it is the people who make the organization. I changed two jobs in this year. I left the law firm. I joined a corporate and now I am finally at a place where they appreciate the fact that people work and have a life outside work and I belong in a team (I have always complained that I don’t have a team that I belong to, and finally I am a part of team in a big organization, not a float resource).

2013 taught me to value money. I am very materialistic to say the least. And, I hate spending on things that one need not spend on. At one point this year, I had two jobs. And I hate to say this but I took up the second one because I wanted more money. It was something that I did like. But really like so much that I had to had to do it. It was being a recruitment consultant in a recruitment firm for their legal clients. Imagine the pinch I felt when I talked to these well placed lawyers younger to me or my age with my kind of experience earning atleast 5 times more than me. I know how much I have cried on those days.  Peace is an emotion I seldom felt during the last year.

I was like a ship. Struck in a big storm, and then losing my way completely.

 

2013 also taught me the value of friends. The best friend got married in all fan fare possible. And even though I reached about 4 days before the actual events began, I was totally engulfed in the preparations that went haywire. It was an experience that I would always cherish.

In Mumbai here, I think I have found a crazy friend, who is like me. Loves to chat and have coffee. Loves her diamonds and knows the art to chill. She was my accidental friend. We met on the Mumbai local. And rest like they say is history. She has helped me keep my preserve my sanity too.

Husband and I have loosely formed a group. And, I have thrown enough parties in this one year to make sure that we remain hooked to meeting each other.

 

2013 has made into a traveller. Husband is of course to be credited for that. We have explored the interiors of Maharashtra, made Goa into familiar holiday spots and realized that we both love to drive and take the trains rather than zip zap zooming in an airplane. Amongst the many resolves this one is gonna be my top priority .. to travel and see the world.. or atleast see the world that is around me.

 

My love for dressing up has increased, and I have come to realize that I need not wait for “occasions” to get ready and/or dressed. Each day is an occasion in itself and that I should look good.

 

2013 revealed to me that husband is going to be a great dad and I am an impatient mum. Sugar, bought what was lacking in our relationship. She bought a sense of being a family to just US!

 

2013 taught me about love. It taught me, how important it is that my husband wakes me up from my sleep just to turn me around so that he can put his arms around me and sleep. Of little things and bigger fights and of loving each other each day and wanting to kill each other each day. Marriage is nothing but a bunch of contradictions.

 

Whilst 2013 is coming to an end I realize that it was a cake walk. It was about eye opening , about love, friendships, and learning to be a family.

2014, I know for sure is going to be a lot more difficult in terms of life and coming to terms with life. All I can hope is that, the patience and the love continues to favour me and that I am able to cope with life as it comes.

 

Happy New Year.. Everyone ...!!!

My lips like "Sugar"

I have grown up a year.
I am 27. Quarter life crisis are at their peak.
I am married. I have gained weight and I can't fit in my clothes.. :|

But, I have a husband who loves me like crazy. And he has added to the joy of being a couple..by getting us a golden lab puppy.

Sugar

Her name is Sugar... and she is naughtiest, the most troublesome little cutie pie that I have come across. She pees the whole day all over the house, and despite all that we do she poops in the house too. Husband and I are like these over fussy parents running behind her cleaning behind her and scolding her every time accidents happen. I get up at least twice during the night to check on her, and she has this weird habit of waking up at 4 am in the morning with an expectation that we will get up and play with her.

Both Husband and I are learning the nuances of parenting and above all learning major lessons in being patient with each other and being patient with her. And whenever I see him, cleaning up behind her.. holding her, loving her, being overtly protective about her.. I realise that, whatever he says, he is going to be an amazing father.
So, while, we are closing in on to completing a year of being married, we are re learning the lessons in unconditional love, in being care givers and above all lessons on being a couple all over.