Another year already?!

I cant believe the last time I wrote here was almost a year ago. Not because I dint have ideas or thing to write about. Technology, for better or worse, gave me more mediums to express. Shorter, easier mediums. And I took the bait. But I did miss the deep retrospection that comes with writing a longer piece. Writing for me was always about unlocking doors within myself. Even if I'm talking about toilets, it made me delve a little more in a moment I had dismissed in the bustle of life to glean another insight. No, this post is not on the insights I glean on the toilet (though trust me, they are quite interesting too!).

This is on the incredible journey that has been 2013. And my hopes for 2014.

Mumbai and it's hidden corners:
 http://bit.ly/1a0nMlG

2013.. what a bag of the 'good, bad and ugly'. A year of living in a new city. One that makes me squeal in delight just when I'm fed up with it's cramped spaces and crowded places and ready to go back home. A year of missing friends and family and realising how genuinely blessed I had been all this while to have such mad yet beautiful people in my life. A year of adding more people to the family and it's been all the more merrier coz of it.

A year of working in an office.. something I had been dreading.. and enjoying it like crazy. Crazy, talented people who makes coming to office easier and fun are not always a given and I've been incredibly lucky.

And a fantabulous wedding. After all the crazy things that was stressing everyone out (we still have not concluded the blue vs red argument :-P ), I did not expect to enjoy it so much. It was not without it's controversies I guess.. just the way I like it ;) All in all, I'm happy to spout the cliche and mean it - It was the happiest day of my life!
And a South Africa trip which has set the bar so high I'm afraid to go on another trip for the fear of being disappointed. People and places so beautiful that it truly pales everything you have seen in magazines and other photo-shopped articles.

The street play team!

And there were smaller moments which brought in a sense of pride and the realisation that an act no matter how small if bright is enough to light up some purpose into your life. That way I'm thankful to Alex for taking the initiative, and to Akanksha for letting us be a part of Come Alive 2013. It was a 15 min impromptu street play with strangers yet it remains as one of the highlights of the year for me. Something I have to keep reminding myself, " An act no matter how small..."

Thankfully, my personal life has been mostly good and wee bit of the bad (Mostly self made drama, but hey, a girl's gotta have a little drama!). But it has been a truly ugly year to be an Indian. People and events which have shaken up the very psyche of the nation. And I like to think (or rather hope) a twinge of our conscience as well. I'm just really scared that with the new year we'll forget everything 2013 was and repeat ourselves. Honestly, I don't want any more candle lit marches. The year past is worth examining for the fact that things went so grotesquely wrong and we should all look into ourselves for setting it right. It's not easy. Nothing worth having ever is.

And though it pained me and I wanted to write, I never did. Because I thought, "It'll be yet another blog, read and forgotten". It all seemed so purposeless, harnessing all that anger and helplessness on to paper. Then I read this quote by Anne Lamott and it made sense.

Image courtesy: Artemis Wilde Illustration

It truly did. I dont have to change the world; I can just help in the tiniest way possible to feel not alone. It gave me a reason to get back to the blank page, to dirty the pristine white with the black ink of my thoughts. Anyways, why am I tell you this? Well, that's just my way of warning you that you could be subjected to a lot more of this blog business this year from my side.

Anyways,I don't believe in new year resolutions. But there seems to be a lot of positive energy around in the world right now (all that hope still bright I guess) and seems like a good idea to harness that. So here's wishing all of you a passionate and meaningful year ahead. Here's to new experiences, good bad and ugly, and growing from them! And making a change, no matter how small and seemingly invisible. Cheers all!

Love,

Me and my muse!

Thank you 2012! And Hi 2013 :-D

WHOA... Did another year just fly by? Was it just a year 'coz it felt like a lifetime!! Looking back at my last post in 2011 it looked like things could not change any more. Clearly 2012 was not gonna be shown up a year that was so last year! ;-) So I went on another roller coaster ride, even more terrifying with the kind of ups and downs which makes you feel like your face is gonna get blown away in the momentum! But I survived. Actually, No. I did better than survive. I got crushed, bruised, had a few of my emotional teeth knocked out. But with a lot of help from my friends and family, I got up, brushed off the dirt and the best part, laughed about it. And boy, was it hard! But boy, was it so worth it!

So this last post is for all kickass people who helped me smile! This post is for a big, Big, BIG

I have no idea whom to start with, so in random order...

Chinch - Sweetie, you are a hundred miles away but I love you for the fact that you are always reachable and always there. For being both the comfort and the sharp reminder to keep strong and move on.


Annie Mathew :  I think the most of what I said about Chinch applies to you too. Then again I'm not surprised both of you being birthday twins!! :) Of course, you are your own brand of 'pat and whack' but I know I could not have done it without you!

Chinnu and Elu : For just being the mad cap sisters you are. For the times you never realise how much energy and joy you bring into a room. For the times you never realise how much it means to me.

Akhila : :(  Who'll understand my half sentences? Who'll make me kanji-paiyer when I'm sick and make me feel pampered? Who'll.. never mind.. you know how long that list is. I'm just incredibly glad we had the time we had together. God, I'll miss you. So freaking much!!!

Maria: I don't think you know how much of a role model you are to me. In a world where there doesn't seem to be a lot of people who you can look up to and want to be like, I'm just so happy I have you!

For the Blore Boys, ie Renju and Mani : We are not the closest of friends and we don't get to hang out as much either, but just knowing you guys, Mani with his forever enthu eloquence and Renju with his calm composed demenur, are around the corner if ever we needed help was an unbelievable reassurance.  Something I'll sorely miss :(

Eapen : It means a hell lot to me that I have talked it out with you and we are friends again. Maybe I'll never get back my best friend again, but you are pretty great as just a friend and I would hate to lose that. So thank you!

Vijay : For making me laugh about all the complicated relationship statuses and situations; for keeping my sanity and the countless hours of advice, both useful and useless. For just being a friend I'm really proud to have!

My out of towner boys ie Peppy, Thiru and Don : My sunshine!! The boys who can't help me but make me smile like mad no matter how down I'm feeling. Pretty please, stay the same with the annoying (yet secretly delightful) ways always!!

Bobby Uncle and Lourdsy Aunty : For being the sweetest, kindest and most understanding people I know. For raising kids who are an absolute joy to know and to love!

Uncle G and Teena Ammayi : For the fact that you reached out even when you were abroad. For the fact that you reached out and helped me feel like I'm not alone. For reaching out and bridging gaps when certain bull-headed people were being, well, bull headed! :)

Amma : Well, for being everything you been, even the time I dint couldn't see it or appreciate it. I just don't have the words to thank you enough.

Alex : hmmm... this is a tough cookie. So I'm gonna steal something which pretty much says what I have to say. It's from "As Good as It Gets",  one of my all time favorite movies! And I love the scene with Jack Nicholson when he takes Helen Hunt out for a real date, because I think This is how I feel pretty much all the time when I try to say something nice. And in case you were wondering, I'm Nicolson! :-)



Melvin Udall: I've got a really great compliment for you, and it's true. 
Carol Connelly: I'm so afraid you're about to say something awful. 
Melvin Udall: Don't be pessimistic, it's not your style. Okay, here I go: Clearly, a mistake. I've got this, what - ailment? My doctor, a shrink that I used to go to all the time, he says that in fifty or sixty percent of the cases, a pill really helps. I *hate* pills, very dangerous thing, pills. Hate. I'm using the word "hate" here, about pills. Hate. My compliment is, that night when you came over and told me that you would never... all right, well, you were there, you know what you said. Well, my compliment to you is, the next morning, I started taking the pills. 
Carol Connelly: I don't quite get how that's a compliment for me. 
Melvin Udall: You make me want to be a better man.



And Last and Most Importantly, I want to thank God! For having given me these people in my life! There's not enough words to express my gratefulness for all that's been 2012, the good ,the bad and the ugly!

And I Pray and Hope 2013 is so much more!

Wish you all a fantastic year ahead! Yet another year choke full of memories and stories.