I'm in love...and always will be...

I'm in love...and always will be...

Lessons

Vividly remember 29 May of last year. Could not have imagined this day and these people then. 

It is good to remember bad experiences. They help keep the perspective straight. 

Yoga Mornings

I did this today! 

When asked to do it, I was at zero confidence level and looked at my instructor in shock. I had a smile that I know asked him how he expected me to do it. He plainly told me to do it and that I can. I started. It was tough. I could not lift my head even an inch off the ground. He helped a little. He motivated a little. And there I was! Such a bloody rush!! Saw the inverted trees and the sun through them. I was beaming after that. Still am.

Yes, small things can be a big deal. For me, always are!  

*breathe*

You know how being in a strained relationship can pile up a lot of anger and disappointment in you? Especially if you don't get an opportunity to say/do something about it. And a day comes when you just want to cry and scream out loud. 

With Government of India at the centre of your work life, and no power to do anything because you are not 'in' the system, the feelings can be similar. It is frustrating. As in my relationships, I have a LOT of faith in the institution and the system, but there is very little that I can do to change things. Every bloody day something gets highlighted which restrains a step towards some positive policy change. Ever since I got real about the world, I stopped hoping that things would be perfect. That word does not exist. So I would not criticise people in the system for all the 'wrongs'. But, oh man!, why would they not do things that are completely under their control! Make the foreign trips if you like, but come back and implement some of the darn lessons. Okay, there is change required within your system, but don't take five years to figure it out and then go retrospective on implementation. Corporates might be as big chors, but you're not the government for no reason. So many talented, visionary people sitting in there and not doing anything because their environment sucks. Because there is nobody letting them do anything. Of course luxury spoils you. But does it really have to be 'paralytic'?  And if that is what it has to come down to, then it could bloody well be 20-year-olds running the nation. What the fuck is the difference! 

Aaaaaarghh!!!!! 

The trigger at the moment: Montek          

And if Modi is brought in for the fight at Centre, I think I will vote for BJP in '14.     

Summer Tales

I was busy at work, and thought that things would ease out once the project is over. I never realised when that project was closed and when that month passed me by. I am again in the same place, and have a feeling that weekends will never be the same again. Of course, a doubt about my productivity level makes things worse. But for now, I am only trying to race and catch up on sleep. 

For the record, the last few weeks have been about this: 

An official trip to Odisha and Jharkhand. I prefer Orissa to Odisha.

Bhubaneswar has tribal and folk art work done on almost all walls in the city. I loved it!

Source: Google

Between many meetings all over the city, we got some time off and a colleague took us to the Udayagiri Caves. It was hot and humid, I was wearing heels, and suddenly felt that carrying the camera might have made sense. Good thirty minutes.  

New colleague. Serious man.

I am still wondering how many people must have sat on this elephant in the past 1000 years. I saw four in a span of five minutes.

The night that we wrapped work in Bhubaneswar, I got a brainwave. Our flight next morning was scheduled for 8 am, but I wanted to make a trip to Puri or Konark early in the morning. Anand agreed. We got two hours of sleep that night, and managed to make a speed trip (starting at 3:30 am) to Konark. 

The sea makes me happppyy!

The thought immediately after seeing the sun rise - "Watching the sun rise is the fiercest, most incredibly positive feeling in the world". And this one was over the sea....   

....I was zonked, but bloody happy! The Sun Temple was a few minutes away from the beach. We had exactly 15 minutes to spend there and I was happy to capture the place in my mind with just that one round in there.

We had first stopped there when we reached at 5 am. But the temple was closed then and we could barely see anything. 

A few hours later we were in the Land of Coal, Ranchi. Before that, the stopover in Kolkata (I still prefer Calcutta) was fun too. Subhadip was nice enough (as always) to come and meet me at the airport. Some coffee, chocolate truffle, and lessons in Bengali pronunciations later, I was back on a crappy Jet aircraft to the hill station that used to be. 

Soumajit also happened to be in Ranchi during that time. Saw him after about 1.5 years. The boy's always been pleasant company.

It was a productive trip. We managed to achieve what we set out for. And I managed to socialise, shop, AND travel. :D

Now (almost) all my time gets spent with some of these guys. The Government of India is pretty much at the centre of  my (work) life. And the office has become home (because Father now calls me a guest).

One day I decided to take it easy and take the girls out to one of my favourite places in the city. Long Island Iced Teas and Cosmopolitans made the night very exciting. More on that here.

I also received a beautiful bookmark and some more trinket from Kausik. He was thoughtful even during a crazy trip to Thailand. And he's not known for this kind of stuff. Twas nice of him! :)

The newest health issue? Vitamin D. I have none of it. :-/

Next stop - Mumbai. The plan - land, work, fly back. No scope to meet any friends. Will miss the Bhai-Bhabhi's anniversary. Missed Mom-Dad's while in Bhubaneswar. Last month Dad's birthday dinner was also with colleagues in office. Maybe these are opportunities, not losses. I like being positive.

Until next time, tada!

P.S. - On the delayed flight from Ranchi to Delhi, we had Yashwant Sinha for company. Celebrity status in my head. Did tweet about it too. The definition of 'exciting' has clearly changed with time.  

The last 20 days

Happened to go back to an old post from February 2009. Life is glaringly more boring now. So an attempt to see if there has been anything worthwhile/exciting or not. :)

Viral.
Vitamin D.
First trip to Odisha.
Sun Temple in Konark.
Sambhalpur cotton sarees.
Aloo dum in Ranchi.
Appreciation from the boss.
Bacardi and coke.
Phone calls and chats lasting all night.
Advanced yoga.
Emptiness.
Yashwant Sinha.
Heavy insurance premiums.
Subhadip.
Being broke.
And not much more...


A lot has changed since 2009. Or has it.

_________

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2009

The last 20 days

A bus to Mumbai.
A flight to Kolkata.
A train to Jamshedpur.
A cab to Ajanta.
Favourite pizza at Domino's.
Rum and coke.
Red roses.
CorelDRAW.
Country profiling.
Farooq Sheikh.
Innumerable ads.
Gaenda phool.
Dev D.
Bonding.
Fights.
Elections.
Being broke.
Moods.
Washing clothes.
And a lot more...

It has been an extremely exciting month so far, and with each incident/experience... there are so many emotions I've gone through that the sense of being is beyond definition right now

This is my heart. Hold it.

This is my heart. Hold it. 

Have You Ever?

# Started competing with someone who is walking in the same direction as you are?
# Felt water splash on your feet while seeing some of it pouring close by?
# Decided not to do something and gone straight ahead against yourself?
# Waited for the right day to take a step only to realise that the right day passed you by?
# Felt that one stranger is nicer than the other one?

Climate Change

The past few weeks have been rather busy at work. Busy; and disillusioning too. And the situation had become such that I was beginning to stare into a complete burnout. The neck could not bear the strain. All my issues against the system came to the fore. The works. 

I declined an opportunity to get out of Delhi this weekend. Just because on Wednesday itself I had decided that I will be only sleeping these two days. I got that sleep, and pampered myself more too. First thing on Saturday was an appointment for a haircut at b:blunt. I had been looking for a stylist who could do short hair for several months. Somebody recommended these guys, I made a few phone calls, and a few more follow-up phone calls until I got this appointment. It was going to be my most expensive haircut ever. And I think they have done a decent job. Could have been better given the skill set, but I think I am satisfied. I wanted a new look, and we have a success at that. Happy.     

Without making much of an effort I got to meet Lynn in the evening. Ever since I stopped using the Metro's women's coach in the morning, we don't get to meet as often as we would like. So this was a nice catch-up session. 

I had committed for an early morning trip to Chandni Chowk for Sunday. And I kept my word. I had thought I would click a few photographs, but ultimately didn't. Nor did I eat anything. But I saw the sun rise. As always, nothing else mattered. It was perfect. 

Got back to get some more sleep, followed by a quick coffee (make that lemonade) with Robin, and then a visit to a spa. I had been thinking about it for a few days, but wasn't getting any worthwhile recommendations. I was at Green Park when 'Pure - Salon and Spa' flashed itself right in front of me. So I decided to give it a try. I signed up for a safe back massage given that I had no idea how the place is. They chose to give me a full experience at the same cost. I was only happy. It was nice and really relaxing. After the head massage, I suddenly felt I could hear many more sounds that I otherwise was oblivious too. Not the ones in my head. I liked it! And later figured that it is a chain of spas called Aura Thai Spa. 

During the busy week, I also managed to meet Ranjan, Udit, Prashant, Ruhi and Vrinda. And shop for formal shoes with a bow. Another first. 

Yes, still keenly waiting for people to commit for the Ladakh trip. Phew!

Source: Wikipedia

Now preparing for the morning class of yoga. Being patient with that too. *breathe*

____

On another note, I do not know if objectivity and having clarity is always a good thing or not. Fuzziness is so much more convenient at times. You do not need to convince your mind to process things that are grey. What is happening?

Not Happening!

Sometimes I feel I am so extremely old school that I may not be able to move ahead in this strange world, filled with people doing strange things. Not only can I not relate to these things, I feel disturbed. Something is seriously wrong. 

ལ་དྭགས་

I have begun planning for my Ladakh trip. Nervous.