Thanks my new friend :)

Four years ago: Marriage, dreams, aspirations.

Two years ago: Career, financial independence, freedom.

Currently: Career on a backseat, husband provided expenses, responsibilities.

The story of my existence can be summed up in these past four years. Why? Because the life that I had before getting married has almost faded into oblivion. What I did, what I liked or what I hated before this has no bearing on my actions or preferences now.  There are days when these things frustrate me, there are days when I want a break, but then there are also days when I feel grateful for them.

It is all about setting priorities and sticking to them. And when you have done that, be sure that you did the right thing. I decided to be a full-time Mom ‘se I didn’t want to leave A Jr with a babysitter or a day-care. I wanted to see him grow up with my own eyes, didn’t want to miss any of the cute things he does. I did just that. My career suffered, the loneliness at home was killing, and the demands of motherhood were daunting and exhausting. I got a bit tired of it.

But today, I met someone and things turned around. I met a lady whose son is A Jr’s playgroup-mate. The kid’s younger than A Jr and has just started school. Understandably, she was anxious about her son’s doing, the way I was during A Jr’s first week. It took all but one smile from me and she joined me in waiting for our respective kids. We got talking and hit it off almost instantly. Her story was similar to me. She left her job after her son was born and is a full-time Mom now. The situations and experiences she mentioned sounded very similar to mine.

She doesn’t even know this, but after talking to her I felt more confident and sure of myself. Not that I needed a proof of it, but seeing someone in the same shoes as mine made me feel like I had company. I was not alone out there. It felt heartening to finally have someone who's riding the same boat with you and wants to know if she's rowing it properly. I’m sure I’ll look forward to meeting her everyday and talk about everything under the sun with her.

Togetherness @ 4

I've seen people planning for this day from months in advance; preparing the guest list with utmost care, making sure to get the most enviable gifts for yourself, never missing even a single occasion to display your undying love for each other, etc etc etc.

As much as I'd have liked to go by the conventional way of celebrating my 4th wedding anniversary, it was not bound to happen, and I was glad for it. I'm not exactly the anti-social type, but these so-called social-dos seem like work to me. They're fun for A Jr, but definitely not for me. I prefer being in the company of loved ones and sharing a quiet cozy evening together. But what took place was even better than my imagination.

We had two of my very dear and very fun-to-be-with brothers-in-law for company this time round. One of them's getting hitched next month and they were here for the whole wedding shopping thing (A dedicated wedding shopping post coming up very soon for you).Anyway, the day started with heavy showers and a visibly sick A Jr. Poor thing, he was down with cough, cold and some viral infection. Bunked his school and stayed home while the BIL's went for shopping alone and A joined them later.

Predictably, they got stuck in the rain and were running late. I, on my part, made sure to plan ahead a lovely surprise for them at home!  Cooked for them ( Soya+moong+cheese sandwiches and Hakka noodles, strange combo, but it totally works!) and got a sinfully rich and very delicious Chocolate cake for us. When the very exhausted trio returned, all they could manage was an honest and grateful smile and an endless string of compliments on the food and the cake. Could I ask for anything more? :)

A's gift to me is not to be divulged, but yes, I gifted him a poem that I wrote exclusively for him, from the time we met till date. His million dollar smile after reading it proved that it was well worth the effort. Am sharing it with you:

Chale the safar par tab do ajnabee the,
Ab lagta nahi ki kabhi bhi juda the,
Pehle ek saal nikla, phir do, aur phir teen,
Chautha jaane ko hai, sach mein kya hum yahan the?

Wo kal hi to tha jab hum tum mile the,
Main accident mein aur tum train mein fase the,
Kuch kaha nahi tumne, main bolti rahi bas,
Khamosh se tum aate hue kal ko dekhte the.

Aapas ki hamari an-ban ko tum natural kehte the,
Main ruthti, chillati, tum hanske jhelte the,
Anjaane mein kabhi jo tumhara dil dukhaya,
Mera bachpana samajhkar use bhool jaathe the.

Ye chaar saal hote chaar sadiyon ki tarah,
Tum inme agar apne pyaar ka rang na bharte the,
Na jaan paati kabhi mein ki khushi kya hoti hai,
Apne chiraag se gar mera jahan roshan na karte the.

Am I still stuck in my dreamy world or love is really in the air?? ;)

The First language

A short post, which is more of a question for all of you. I’ve read many articles on the growing influence and English-nisation of education around the world, so much so that many native languages are on the verge of extinction. More often than not I see parents, especially in metros, conversing with their kids in English. Whatever happened to our so-called mother tongues? Do we have fond memories of our grandmothers and mothers singing lullabys to us or telling us stories in our native language or English? If at home we do not take the initiative to make our child follow and understand our roots and language, where else would (s)he learn it? English is the first language in every English medium school; hence the child can be relied upon to grasp it with little difficulty. 

Doesn’t it become our collective responsibility then to safeguard our language and our culture, or is it too down-class to use your mother tongue at all?

Go strike it!

Pins tagged me with this one. Though it took more time to complete than I’d expected, I enjoyed doing it!

      1.       Graduated high school – Ofcourse!

2.      Kissed someone – I’d be a waste if I didn’t! :D

3.      Smoked a cigarette – Never! And don’t even intend to..

4.      Got so drunk you passed out – Nopes.

5.      Rode every ride at an amusement park – Always. It’s a must-do!

6.      Collected something stupid – No. Nothing I buy is stupid for me.

7.      Gone to a rock concert – No.

8.      Helped someone – Yes. As much as I can, always.

9.      Gone fishing – No. I’m a vegetarian. What’s the point? :P

10.   Watched four movies in one night – College life. Hah!

11.    Lied to someone – Yes. Haven’t we all?

12.   Snorted cocaine – No. Never!

13.   Smoked weed – Why, no again!

14.   Failed a subject – No. Was close to it, but got saved! (grace marks zindabad!)

15.   Been in a car accident – Yes. I wasn’t behind the wheel though, and it was the day I met A for the first time. (No, we didn’t hit him)

16.   Been in a tornado – Thankfully, no.

17.   Watched someone die – No. Hope I won’t too, I’m hyper-sensitive.

18.   Been to a funeral – Yes, unavoidable.

19.   Burned yourself -  I’ve lost the count of it! Everything from hot pans, tawas and even hot oil have done their job well!

20.  Run a marathon – In school, yes. Would love to be a part of one now.

21.   Cried yourself to sleep – Yes, many times.

22.  Spent over 10,000 bucks in one day – I’m capable of spending more!! :D ;)

23.  Flown on an aeroplane – Yes.

24.  Cheated on someone – I hope not.

25.  Been cheated on – Yes.

26.  Written a 10 page letter – Don’t have that much patience! A long mail qualifies?

27.  Gone skiing – No L

28.  Been sailing – Yes yes, and I loved it!

29.  Cut yourself – Many times.

30.  Had a best friend – Wrong question! Best friends are applicable only in present and future tense.

31.   Lost someone you loved - We all have, some or the other way.

32.  Got into trouble for something you didn't do – Oh yes! Ask Nu, she knows.

33.  Stolen (yes :P) borrowed (yes) a book from a library - I forgot to return it, so that means I stole it right?

34.  Gone to a different country – Yes.

35.  Watched the Harry Potter movies – Yes, but not all of them. I’m not too much into special effects aided movies.

36.  Had an online diary – Yes, safe and secure, far from all prying eyes.

37.   Fired a gun - Yes. At fairs, for bursting balloons :D

38.  Gambled in a casino – No. But I did play a lot of those coin games at clubs.

39.  Been in a school play – Yes. College plays were more enjoyable though.

40. Been fired from a job – No. Kiski majaal hai ki ye gustakhi kare??:P

41.   Taken a lie detector test – No.

42.  Swam with dolphins – I can’t swim, can I try that with safety jackets?? :P

43.  Voted for someone on a reality TV show – Yes, did that only once for Rahul Vaidya, cute guy, but wasn't foolish enough to repeat it.

44. Written poetry- Yes yes yes.

45.  Read more than 20 books a year – No! I lose interest if it’s overdone.

46. Gone to Europe – No.

47.  Loved someone you shouldn’t have – Confusing question!!

48. Used a colouring book over age 12 – Yes.

49. Had a surgery – No,Thank God!! I’m too scared of it.

50.  Had stitches – No again!!

51.   Taken a taxi – Ofcourse, what’s there to ask in this??

52.  Had more than 5 IM conversations going on at once – Yes.

53.  Been is a fist fight – Ya ya, my brother was my favourite assailant and prey!:D

54.  Suffered any form of abuse - No.

55.  Had a pet – No. Dad didn’t like pets. Want to get a goldfish when A Jr grows up a bit.

56.  Petted a wild animal – No!

57.   Had your own credit card & bought something with it – No, I prefer swiping debit cards. Have used A’s credit cards sometimes.

58.  Dyed your hair – Yes.

59.  Got a tattoo – Yes. All sorts, ranging from flowers to Power Puff girls to cars!

60. Had something pierced – Oh yes. I wear three pairs of earrings (Absolutely love it!) and a nose ring too!

61.   Got straight A’s – We didn’t have grades, but I always managed to get good marks.

62.  Known someone personally with HIV or AIDS – No.

63.  Taken pictures with webcam – Yes, my Gtalk pic for one :D

64. Lost something expensive – Yes.

65.  Gone to sleep with music on – Music I don’t think, but lights yes.

I’m not tagging anyone with this one since Pins tagged a lot of people already. Whoever wants can pick this up! All yours! 

Another one on Blogging

Nu says she’s a Blogoholic and Pins says she’s addicted. If given a chance we’d all attach many such similar adjectives to our names. Blogging is like that one drug which when administered in our body even once enters our bloodstream in such a way that it makes us crave for it more and more. Right?

We write once and we’ve to write more…we read once and we’ve to read more…we comment on some blog and come back to see ours to check if our gesture has been returned :P…we pick out our favourite ones and follow them…we voice our thoughts and opinions freely…talk about issues bothering us without having to bother about the repercussions…its a virtual world but still so real..

All this is much beyond non-bloggers though. For them such cute little paranoia’s are comparable with temporary insanity and obsessive Blogomania! Don’t agree with me?? I’ll tell you what all I’ve had to endure after being a part of this world.

After returning home from work the first thing A asks me everyday, ‘ So did you write a post today?’ (Hello…what happened to the ‘How was your day’ routine?)

He simply has to see what I’m reading! He reads posts from over my shoulders standing behind me and then says, ‘What’s the big deal behind writing this? So and so happened with so and so, what’s there to write about it?’ (I didn’t call him to read it now, did I?)

I’m commenting on someone’s post. He has to point out atleast once that if its not compulsory why do I have to do it at all. I’ve to think and comment, so why the needless stress on the brain?

This one is funny. I follow a lot of people many of whom don’t follow me back. Nevertheless I visit their blogs and read them regularly. He seems to not like it. He says I must get them to read me! Doesn’t that sound desperate and needy I ask. He doesn’t answer but stands firm on his views :P

If I’m chatting with someone on Gtalk he asks me, ‘So is this person your school friend/college friend/colleague/acquaintance or most likely a blog friend? Don’t you guys talk too much on blogs already?’

Many more such things to add, but you already know what I mean to say right? The concept is completely lost on these people. Smartly judging that such remarks invite only my wrath he’s learnt to hold his tongue on few occasions. Good for him.

Notwithstanding his comments I love to be here and will continue to do so, always :)

Riding High and Eating away

In three months’ time I’ll hit 30 and the weight of slowly and steadily stepping into middle age seems to burden me sometimes. That is why whenever I get the smallest opportunity to relive the childhood that I once had, I seize it promptly and wholeheartedly. One such thing which was an integral part of my childhood (and all of you too I’m sure) was visiting those typical Fun Fairs…more commonly called as Anand Nagari at our place.

As kids we waited eagerly for any such fair to come up since it promised us lots of enjoyment; all kinds of fun rides, games and unrestricted binging on junk food. Mom and Dad were lenient and didn’t mind us getting overtly demanding and vocal. We could buy anything of our choice; clothes, accessories, games. I remember buying cute hand carved pen-stands and hair clips for myself from there and guarding them with my life. What fun!!

This time when I went back home I got a chance to visit one such Anand Nagari. I did enjoy myself, but what I enjoyed more was A Jr’s excitement and insistence to see each and everything! Here are some pics from back there. Do you miss these too??

One would expect a kid of his age to be scared of a merry-go-round but he simply loved it!! I had to hold on to him tightly to stop him from dancing in the moving riders. I'm sure he had a better time than I did :P

This one was my personal favourite. The ride was probably not more than a minute long for one round and the ride had 6-7 such rounds. I always insisted on riding it over and over again but gave it a miss this time :(

A Jr had the first baraf ka gola of his life. A mix of Rose and Cola flavours, he devoured it and slurped it greedily. Needless to say his whole dress was drenched in the sticky liquid, but watching him have it so diligently made me ignore all that :)

We girls have a radar which detects any chaat stall immediately. Without the slightest care of an already upset stomach and even more calories I ate and ate lots of pani puris. This one is the pic of the chana chor stall. Had some of it then and there and carried some back home too :)

I bought lots of beautiful bangles too, but was so busy selecting and buying them that taking a picture didn't even click me, pun unintended! :P

My parents just couldn't get enough of his antics. Even at this age my father took him around everywhere. He was physically drained but had a proud smile on his face throughout. Ditto with my mother. She was the one who fed him that baraf ka gola. Loads of patience, I must add. But that's how grandparents are, right? :D

And such was an awesome fun-filled evening. Tell me, did I take you back into your childhood too??