Has it been 13 years already? :-)

13 years ago, on this day, I started this blog on a whim. What started in the beginning as an outlet to keep myself from being bored, soon turned into something that has been a constant throughout. Even through my prolonged disappearances and the false promises to be a regular, this space has always been there at the back of my mind, like a long-lost friend, waiting for me to reach out to her. 

Pic Source - Magma Digital

This blog has seen me evolve from an amateur writer to someone who can express herself clearly. It has seen me through relationships, friendships, life’s ups and downs, happy memories, sad ones, almost everything that has made me into the person I am today. And my evolution can clearly be seen in my writing as well. When I read those posts written in 2006 to the posts that I write now, I can see the difference myself. No, I am not saying that I am ashamed of the old posts. They were written by the girl who had her head in the clouds and stars in her eyes. They were written by the girl who was hot-headed and always wanted to please everyone even while putting herself at an inconvenience. They were written by the girl who was immature and idealistic. They were written by the girl who had a tune in her head, a spring in her step and a story always in her mind. They were written by the girl who was learning what it was to step into the big bad world and learn what it was to be independent.

You know, sometimes I miss the older versions of me. Especially the happy-go-lucky version, the one without a care about anything in the world, the one who knew she could do whatever she wanted. This was the version of me who was gung-ho about trying new things, having new experiences, etc. I partied every weekend, binge ate every given opportunity and basically treated my body like I owned it. Night-outs were the order of the day (err.. night!) and the next day was the usual, office, routine, up and about, swinging endless cups of coffee, red bull and other such energy providing drinks. Impromptu trips were planned over drunken nights, and impulsive decisions were taken only not to be followed through and sometimes very rarely followed through. Vacations followed standard steps - take the cheapest flight, rough it out at the reasonably priced hotels and live in the moment, no planning, no sticking to a schedule, one backpack to fit everything and budget was the way to go. Life decisions could wait, planning for the future could wait and the main thing in life was living in the moment, having fun.

But now I “think” I am a lot more grounded. Plenty of things have changed from back then. My definition of fun has changed a lot. Maybe growing older does that to you. Marriage, a child, job, career, running a household, making it a home, these things now take priority over reading, dancing, writing. At the beginning of this year, much like every year, I took up the reading challenge and challenged myself to read 25 books. A friend had commented that if that happens with a baby in tow, she would be impressed. At that point, I thought, come on it is just 2 books a month and 24 books will just whizz by. We are now in the 9^th month of the year. I have read exactly 5 books to this date for the year and none of them were life-changing or heavy-duty. Rather, they were watered down versions of chick-lit. And honestly, it doesn’t even cross my mind until I see someone post about a book they read. It has been years since I went out to a club. I don’t remember when I last danced. Like I said, priorities have changed. Life now craves for the mundane, the ordinary, the routine.

This blog is one of those routine things. It’s like a deep-rooted tradition, if not a post regularly, at least a post a year. When I completed the post on Ekalavya, almost 2 years after I had written part 1, I was pleased to say the least. It had been sitting in my drafts, in my mind and every single time I opened my laptop, it would remind me that I hadn’t yet finished the post on Ekalavya. It is definitely not something that I would say is my best work. But it is a start after ages of not having penned anything.

For the longest time, there was this deep sense of unrest within me. Like something was nagging my soul. Words that would form and then disappear. Sentences that would start and then vanish. When I started writing again, those flutters of strife started fading. I felt contented and instantly calm.

People emote in a variety of ways.    

          

Some talk. Some cry. For a few it is through the arts – music, dance, painting. For some others it is through actions.

Me – I write! 

11 things you don’t know about me!

This seems like a fun prompt, after 2-3 days of serious prompts.

But it also means that I got to rack my brains to put down something that I probably may not have mentioned on this blog before.

Ah! Never mind, I think I may mentioned most here on the blog.

So random things in no order as such.

I don’t like the skin that forms on the top of milk – the ‘aadai’ or the ‘malai’. This is the reason why I never order coffee in South Indian restaurants. I don’t mind it in tea, probably because it disintegrates pretty fast. Never on coffee.

I used to be an extremely shy kid in school. I never ever wanted to participate in school programmes and would always hide under the desk when the teachers came calling for participants, in a bid to escape. Even then I got picked up to be an angel (oh the irony!) for one of the school X-mas programs, and I bawled my eyes out when they took for us practice. This after the group had a very close friend of mine. Of course, all that changed when I grew up!

I’ll do anything for my friends. Especially the ones in my inner circle If they genuinely need my help for something, or just be a patient listener, or need me to do something for them, I will do it, even when it comes to putting myself at an inconvenience. But only until the point I realize that I am being taken for granted. But for those in the inner circle, I will still end up doing it even after that realization strikes.

I H.A.V.E to read before I sleep. Something random, even if it’s not the book I am reading currently. I find that I sleep better after reading.

I am always dancing inside my head. And sometimes, I move invariably to the music running in my head – sometimes. Not always. But always in a public place. :D that’s how I got put into dance class when I was a kid. :P  that’s a story I will say some other time.

I hate French beans. I don’t like the taste of them at all. I don’t mind it in hidden forms, like fried rice or mixed veg (Ok! Not so hidden) but I absolutely hate it otherwise. And even when it’s in a mixed veg, you can find me keeping it aside.

I need to have at least 2 cups of coffee or tea to get my system up and running in the mornings. Not one, nope! At least two. Yep!

I like solving logical problems. Like the ones in excel formulas, or some glitch that others have given up on. Also, the reason why I love puzzles, word scrambles. I also like pottering around things with my hands, like woodwork or fixing broken things. Give me a toolbox and ask me to fix something and I’ll happily do it. Before you ask, yes, I have a very watered down version of my own toolbox, with the necessary stuff.

I hate (H.A.T.E.) lizards. Any other pest is ok – even cockroaches. But lizards are a big no-no! I literally run the other side when I see them somewhere. I even almost contemplated shifting my previous place because of the lizard menace – read low floor, lots of plants nearby! Almost let all the advance rent and deposits go to hell.

I take pretty good care of my things. I ensure that I know where things I need almost always are, and in proper state. I always do things at my own pace when I know there is definitely no sense of urgency. However, if it involves time and money, I will do it even if I am cursing inside my head. Deadlines bring out the best in me.

I don’t like confrontations. I hate getting into fights. I am not too fond of debates. It’s not that I mind it or that I can’t but I’d rather just avoid the whole thing. They just don’t seem worth the pain! But I will do it if you push me once too much. And I will do it with vehemence.

Guess what!! :-) We are now T.E.N. Years & Counting!!!

Let’s celebrate people…

*pop the champagne*

*bring out the glasses*

*raise a toast*

Here’s to…

10 Y.E.A.R.S. of My Expression! My Life!!

Here’s to a DECADE OF BLOGGING!

From cringe-worthy posts to fluff pieces … gap-filler tags and random reviews …

From irrelevant rants to solid issues … from scribbling something for the sake of it to writing something that makes me satisfied with the content ...

From finding myself in others’ words and expressing it by putting a spin on it …

From Knitted Yarn to the Mahabharata Chronicles...

Through my tumultuous twenties, over different geographies, different sets of people, different workplaces …

To the terrific thirties where I am much more sure of who I am and what I want to be…

This blog has seen it all… and much more…

For something that started off as a hobby and another avenue to pass time, it has become a part of my identity and strength.

Here’s to more blogging, more writing and more expressing!

And here’s a BIG BIG BBBBBBIIIIIIGGGGG THANK YOU to all you wonderful people who have taken the time out to read through what I have written, commented on it, inspired it and critiqued it!

I love you all!!!

10 YEARS People… WOOHOO!!! 

And another year draws to a close...

Thus, another year ends …

The curtains on 2014 are drawing to a close on a year filled with a motley bag of happenings.  I do not really want to get very philosophical on this post, but my year-end posts always are, tinged with a bit of reflection. :-)

If I had to sum up 2014 in one word, I would have to say it was QUICK. It seems just like yesterday that we were out at ECP bringing in 2014. What seemed like a quirky start to the New Year involving hailing down unresponsive cabs and trip by the metro early in the morning, soon spiraled into one of the fastest years in recent times. So many things have happened, so many events have unfolded, and things are much clearer in so many aspects.

This year, filled with a multitude of happenings, will be a year that I can never forget and will be one of those years that I can look back and say that, 2014 in many ways will always be a very special year for me. There have been some awesome highs, some tragic lows, much deserved peace of mind, some well-warranted closures, a few nasty fights, some amazing get-togethers, and unforgettable moments. People who have come into my life, some who have exited from it, others whose value in my life has exponentially increased and a few others who have just made it a better place by being simply being there. There have been a few hard lessons learnt, some tough times dealt with - few in good ways and others in very childish ways. There has been a lot of giving up and letting go moments, fighting for what it’s worth moments, and knowing for sure this is what I want moments. There have also been some brilliant instances, a few revelations and a lot more happy bursts than I expected. There have been fewer regrets this year and for that, I am grateful. It has been a year that has been filled with lots of growing up, lots of reflection, lots of understanding of the person that I am turning into (and liking it btw) and lots of clarity in knowing what I want from my life.

It is crazy how all of that happened in just one single year. It has been a total mixed bag and a fun ride in 2014. Good while it lasted, and while it reached the peak somewhere during the middle of the year, and has sobered down a lot over the last few weeks, there’s always that anticipation tingling inside of me about things that are yet to come, plans that will be made and events that will unfold.

My love for new beginnings, have been spelt out enough on this blog. So no surprises that, I am looking forward to 2015.

2015, I hope, is filled with lots of happiness, good health, cheer and prosperity.

I hope the coming year will have lots of magic moments, dreams that will be fulfilled and madness in the quirkiest sense. I hope to start something anew and finish it. Take up new challenges. Grow up. I hope to have lots of travel. Go on road trips. Meet new people. Explore places. I hope to see sunrises. Contemplate over sunsets. I hope to revel in spots of sunshine, splashes of rain and the wind on my face. I hope to sweat it out and become more fit. I hope to dance until I drop. Write until I run out of ideas. And give into life!!! I wish to live life to the fullest and enjoy every single moment of it. 

Here to a brand NEW YEAR ... Here's to 2015!! 

Glasses clinking, Eyes twinkling and all guns ablaze!! 

Gear up!! Pull out all stops. 2015, I am on my way!!!  :-) :-) :-) 

Yagnaseni - The Mahabharata Chronicles #1

Yagnaseni they called her. The one born out of fire. The virtuous one. The one whose fate was linked with the harbingers of change. The one who was both a blessing and a curse. Blessing to the people and curse to her father. Or so she had been told. She had heard that when she arose in front of him, he “blessed” her with unhappiness, sorrow, misunderstandings and strife for the better part of her life.

There wasn’t much that she remembered about her birth. All she had felt was a searing heat from the flames that were licking around her and then a sudden thrust out of it. She had almost fallen out of the fire, much rather being born out of it, much like an after-thought of the GODS.

                                         [Pic Courtesy: nisachar.deviantart.com]

Daughter she was, to the famed king – Drupad. Princess of Panchal and twin sister to the Crown Prince, her brother, Dhristadyumna, who had stepped out of the fire, gracefully and leonine like as desired by her father. She who was endowed with a heart-shaped face; skin that shone like burnished copper, lustrous hair that fell down to wide hips that swayed when she walked and a pretty smile that framed her luscious lips. She who the world called the most beautiful. Her childhood, she remembered, was bound by rules and bogged down by actions that befit a princess. She chafed at the shackles that restrained her and craved for a freedom that was only heightened by the curiosity that played around in her mind. Questions that remained unanswered. Or ones that were answered with other questions.

And the one, who did that the most with her, was the one she considered as her soul mate.

Her Govind. The one who affixed her with the female form of his own name – Krishnaa – the dark skinned one. Friend, guide, philosopher and roguish imp all rolled into one. The one she always turned to when in strife, in sorrow, and the first one she shared with when in joy, in delight and in revelry. The one who gave her support and the one who quietened her ever-questioning mind. The one who knew her best. The one who wanted the best for her. The one who told her to reject Karna.

Karna. King of Anga. Loyal friend to the scion of the Kaurava clan. Cherished disciple of the Rama with the axe. Famed archer rumoured to even best Arjuna. Son of a Suta.

The first memory she had of him, was that of him seated in the competitor arena for her swayamvar. She remembered that moment like it had just happened then.

Skin that shone like he was drunk on the rays of the sun. Well chiselled and marked body. The warrior stance. Strong arms. And his eyes. The gaze that was steadfast yet with raged with an intensity that made them come alive. Eyes those were flecked by golden flames.

She recognized the fervour that burned in his eyes and his belly. The passion to prove to the world that he was here to accomplish great things. She knew that was what it was because the very same fire burned within her. He had looked at her just once. Glanced rather. She felt taken in by his intent look. Felt the quiver of butterflies in her tummy. The gaze that stripped her naked, yet cloaked her with a protectiveness that she hadn’t felt before, all in the span of a single moment. This was unlike anything that she had felt before. This was a thousand times stronger than any flickers of infatuation that she may have felt. Ten thousand times even. This was a raging blaze. In that one glance that they had shared, she had known that he was the one for her. And yet she had rejected him. Except without knowing why. On the basis of the fact that he was a charioteer’s son.

Because HE told her to. Because she trusted in HIM blindly. Because HE knew her best. Because HE wanted the best for her. Because HE told her to reject Karna. Her Govind.

But now, standing in front of the entire Kuru clan, shamed, dishevelled and disrobed, she couldn’t help wondering. Did she make the right choice back then? Is this what was BEST for her?

Here she was, married to the illustrious, almost godly Pandavas and not one of them could save her from this mortification. Would Karna have let this happen to her? Would he have just sat there, head bowed, with down-cast eyes, unable to bear the humiliation that was being meted out to her? Somehow she didn’t think so.

Sure. He was standing on the OTHER side now. He was the one who had provoked the vile Dusshasan to do what he just did. He was the one who called her unchaste. He was the one who stood there mocking at their plight. This was his vengeance and her come-uppance for the way she had treated him at her swayamvar. It didn’t justify in any way that what he was doing to her was much worse than what he could / would / may have felt. And yet she saw a hint of remorse in his eyes. For the words that he spoke. For the way he had behaved. And as much as she wanted to hate him with her entire being, she couldn’t bring herself to.

And she realized that in some way, he knew it too. That he was aware of the consequences of this. And that even though he may have had a choice, he couldn’t bring himself to make it. That in some way he anticipated the repercussions. Morbidly even looked forward to it.

And so she forgave him. Forgave just him. For the dastardly act that he was being a part of. For the terrible violation that had just been enacted out in the palace court for all and sundry to see.

For now SHE knew what was coming.  The purpose of HER birth. The very reason for HER existence. She was slated to be the harbinger that would cleanse the world of the vileness that inhabited it.

Perhaps, this was the way it was meant to be.

Perhaps, this is what happens when a shard pierces the heart.

That one sliver coursing its way through the entire system.

Taking along with it all that brought down to this moment.

This very moment. Where it all ends. And where it all begins.

-----------------------------------------------XXX-------------------------------------------------

Disclaimer: This is solely my viewpoint and a fictionalized attempt on my idea of what Draupadi may / may not have felt. Written on the basis of inspiration by articles and stories and books that I have read on this subject and legends that suggested she may have loved Karna and events that transpired in the Mahabharata. I do not claim this to be true in any way. J

Ramblings on a Wondrous Epic - Mahabharata!

I am a mythology buff. Indian mythology to be precise. The traditions, the folklore, the little known legends, the trivia, and the facts – they fascinate me to no end. I love reading them over and over again and I haven’t yet found another culture such as ours that is so rich in traditions, myths, customs and legends.

And my most favourite of them all is the epic – MAHABHARATHA. I have lost count of the number of times I have read this, watched this, the number of viewpoints on this and the underlying and interconnected backstories as well as the intricate strategies employed in them. And always it is interesting to read the lore, albeit from different viewpoints or just the story as such. So far, one of the best versions that I have read has to be “Jaya” by Devdutt Patnaik.

I recently read 2 more versions of it. One was a story written from Karna’s second wife – Uruvi’s viewpoint! (I didn’t even know Karna married twice. I always thought he was married only to Vrushali.) and the other was a story from Duryodhana’s viewpoint. Both interesting and thought-provoking in their own way. Out of all the various versions of the epic that I have read (which is a little over 7 versions), as well as all the articles that are minutely related to the saga of one family, I have always been fascinated by the lives of Karna and Arjuna.

2 heroes, one glorified and the other vilified.  Countless verses have been written about these two protagonists, each mighty in their own right. There are stories that champion the cause of how Karna is a better archer than Arjuna and there are others that say that Arjuna was better than Karna, citing examples even.

Back when I read this epic for the first ever time, I was drawn towards the character that was Karna. A kind of empathy for the way his life had turned out. Loyal friend, victim of circumstances, wronged from birth and always misunderstood. However, subsequent versions have led me to believe that there is no one who is fully right or fully wrong in this epic. Each one is but a victim of circumstances. I have read snippets of how Duryodhana was actually named Suyodhana and the “Dur” prefix came in much later thanks to the histrionics of Shakuni and his vile ways!! How much ever, we dissect situations and say that this one did right and that one did wrong, ultimately, there is an underlying reason for the same.

Suyodhana’s love for Subhadra, Karna’s generosity, Draupadi’s lust / love for Karna, Krishna’s strategies and why he brought about the war… the deaths of Ghatotkacha, Iravan and Abhimanyu, etc.. The stories of course are never-ending… but reading through a multitude of versions throws up a lot of questions… and a lot of ifs and buts.. 

The picture below by Molee Art symbolizes my perception of the Mahabharata precisely. 

Krishna as a master puppeteer and everyone else under this master strategist.

                                                  [Pic Courtesy: Master of Puppets, Molee Art] 

Would the war even have happened had Kunti declared and accepted Karna as her son at the exhibition of the princes’ skills and prowess?

Would Duryodhana have hated Karna after knowing that he was a Pandava?  Or would he have agreed to give away whatever was rightfully theirs, because he valued Karna’s friendship over all?

Did Draupadi really love Karna? Was it only because Krishna told her to that she insulted him at the swayamvar? 

If Karna knew about the curses on him beforehand, why didn’t he do something to overcome / neutralize them, over the course of the years? 

Who was the better archer in fact? Karna or Arjuna? And then what about Ekalavya? What happened to him? 

Is Ashwatthama still alive and roaming about pus and sore-filled somewhere in the world? 

Why did Gandhari choose to suffer alongside her blind husband instead of being the eyes he didn’t have?  Wouldn’t that have been a better choice? 

The one thing that is evident in the entire epic is the cycle of Karma.

If one's action bore no fruit, then everything would be of no avail,
if the world worked from fate alone, it would be neutralized. - Mahabharata

No one becomes a villain without any reason and everyone is a stranger until you give them a chance! As you sow, so you reap!

Disclaimer: This post initially started out as one just about Karna and Arjuna. As it happens most of the time, it became totally something else. Call it my ramblings about a wondrous epic! And expect many more ramblings in days to come! :-)

PS: If you are interested in reading Mahabharata, do read the following for a different perspective. You should know by now how much I am hooked on to this.

Jaya – Devdutt Patnaik, Palace of Illusions – Chitra Divakarunni Banerjee,Ajaya – Anand Neelakantan, Karna’s wife, the Outcast’s Queen – Kavita Kane, Mrityunjay – Shivaji Sawant, Arjuna  - Anuja Chandramouli, Yuganta – Iravati Karve, Bhima, The Lone Warrior – M T Vasudevan. 

Keep Calm and Drink Lassi ;-) - Day 12 of the 100 Happy Days Challenge :) :)

You like lassi?

I do. 

In fact, I like it quite a lot. But it’s very hard to find a well-made lassi! It’s an art... Everything has to be in just the right proportion. The yoghurt, the sugar, the essence, the garnishing, all mixed together properly into an intoxicating mix. YUM! :D Yeah, I guess you must have figured out that I prefer the sweet lassi instead of the salted / spicy one!! :-) :-) if it’s gonna be salted / spicy, it better be Chaas or Buttermilk… Curd and Sugar have always tasted finger-lickin’ good to me, any day! :-) :-)

So that’s what made me happy today!! :-) :-) :-) 

This big glass of MANGO LASSI from ChaiTime…

Have you been to this shop called ChaiTime? They have some amazing rolls and samosas… and a lot of varieties of teas… Check it outsometime... You won’t be disappointed! Guaranteed!! :-) :-)

I was there today. My lunch was from there and that’s when I noticed this enticing Mango Lassi on their menu. So instead of having my usual coffee / tea today evening, I opted for this. And may I tell you, what an impressive choice I made! It was simply amazing.

Here you go, I clicked a pic just to make you envious… :D :D  The pic may be bad, but the thing in it... D.E.L.I.S.H.

Beat the heat.. Beat the rising tempers... Keep Calm and Drink Lassi! ;-) :-) 

“Life is half delicious yogurt, half crap,

And your job is to keep the plastic spoon in the yogurt.” ;-) ;-)

Next in list – the Strawberry Lassi on their menu!! :D :D 

I haven’t tasted a Strawberry Lassi before... *rubs hands in anticipation* :-)

When it comes to something like FRIENDSHIPS, I sure can ramble on!! :)

So then after those famous last words - the series start …

Let’s talk about FRIENDSHIP, shall we? 

F.R.I.E.N.D.S.

Your other family.

The ones whom you have the right and the independence to choose.

I heard this recently – Apparently if you are friends with someone for a period of 7 years or more, chances are that you will be friends with them for life. Now, I am not the best person to comment on this. I have friendships that range the 10-20 years period, as well as the ones that are still in their fledgling phase, but that have the propensity to get to the ‘decades-old’ echelon. Of course, over this same period, I have also lost friendships that I thought would never break or fade away and people that have just disappeared, voluntarily or involuntarily from my life.

Me – I am a very complicated person. There are various facets to myself, some of those that I myself am unaware of! On the surface, I am an extrovert. I make friends easily. I talk a lot. I am vibrant in company. I can hold my own on a diverse range of topics. But on the other hand, I am a very private person too. I don’t trust people easily. I let only very very very few people into my head and I prefer it that way. I find it hard to express my feelings. And I find it hard to let people inside of me. So I let it be. In the hope that the other person understands what I mean to say, through my so-called actions, gestures and sometimes even the most stupidest of things I say, totally unrelated to what I really wanted to say, in the first place. This would be me reaching out. Of course, they may or may not understand and that’s where the wavelength, frequency, chemistry or whatever fancied terms you call it as, comes into picture.

The reason is trust once broken takes a long while to be regained and restored. The broken trust also brings with it skepticism, fear and a sense of questioning that not many people are aware of. Sometimes others suffer for what someone else has done. Or sometimes, they lack the patience to see the broken person through it and to regain or restore that trust. This is precisely the reason that many of us have more of acquaintances and hi-bye, casual friends, as opposed to very few close ones. It’s also the reason that I cannot claim that there exists one single person on this earth who knows every single thing about me. Probably if you get all my close friends together, of which there are very few, you may piece together stories about my life – bits and pieces again!

Most of my present day solid friendships were formed in my twenties. Some in the blink of an eye, some over a couple of drinks, an evening out, a chance meeting and some others over a period of months and some even years!! They are all people that I trust on various levels. And they are all people that I know I can turn to in rain or shine :-) and by god, am I thankful for them or what! But then, there have also been hits and misses. Lessons learnt, fingers burnt, and strife dealt with. Lots of insights along the way as well.

There are a lot of things that these bonds have taught me.

That there are always those kinds of rapports, the ones you can just pick up from where you left off! And you realize that nothing has changed. It’s like the break never occurred. These are the best kinds!!

That friendship can happen for the most stupidest of reasons. Like the fact that you both like the same cocktail. Or the fact that you both had that one person in common that you hate. You never know! And sometimes, you just know! :)

That you can always recall back to that time when you crossed that line with someone from stranger to acquaintance to friend to trusted pal or vice versa! That one discerning moment!

That sometimes you become friends with someone too soon, and too close. And you may not realize why or when. Because you are having too good a time with them! And then, your friendship with them reaches a maturity point. Where neither will have anything more to say, talk or share with the other. But that doesn’t mean that the friendship has ended. It just means that you have grown along in the friendship and now you are comfortable in silence as well in chat.

That chalk and cheese can actually be friends! Sometimes the people that you least expected to be friends with in the initial twenties, will turn out to be the ones that you are more comfortable with and you wonder why you never liked them back then!

And the most important of them all, that the people who like you for what you are; will always let you be the way you want to be.

In the course of these years, I have come across all sorts of people. I am sure you must have too.

The good ones. The bad ones. The ugly ones. The helpful ones. The selfish ones. The selfless ones. The ones with the devil-may-care attitude. The ones who genuinely look out and care for you. The ones who take you for a ride. The ones who take you for granted. And the ones who let you be.

All sorts of them. Most of these sorts are my friends. I probably belong(ed) to most of these sorts as well. Maybe not the entire gamut, but definitely an overlap of some of these.

Learn to choose your friends wisely. Pick up from the hits and misses! But never ever regret any of the moments! Most of your ‘rocking-crazy-fun filled-memorable-bad ass’ experiences come from the twenties. Where the only thing on the mind is to live on the edge, meet new people, gain new experiences and live it up! This decade is a great time for this. It’s the time that you are spreading out your wings. It’s that point of time where you are on the brink of ‘something old’ and ‘something new’ syndrome. When you step out on your own into the big world – the jungle! :) Make the most of it! :)

Two decades and some eight years thence ....

It’s been quite a while since I penned something on my blog that cannot be termed as frivolous or even sorts of a gap filler. Yeah! gap-filler is the right word here considering that I have been writing about random stuff to the point that when I open my blog, all I want to do is to go back and read those old posts that I have written. They are the ones that I can relate to the most. They are the ones that I wrote for the sake of writing and not for the sake of letting the blog die …

Writing is something that I enjoy, or rather enjoyed, seeing that I haven’t been doing much of it lately. If this is writer’s block then this is the worst that I have ever endured. And I fear that this post is going to be a lot monotonous as well.

You’ve been forewarned! Now proceed! That is if you are still reading this!

I turned 28 a few days back. It was not as earth-shattering as expected. I always thought that turning a year older especially when you cross your mid twenties is going to be hard! With all the brouhaha that’s associated with hitting the 30’s and turning a year older, this was something that I had mixed opinions about. But somehow with each passing year, I am surprised to find that I am looking forward to the next one where another year will be added to my years of existence. I am keen to know what kind of a person I will turn out to be and how different it will be from this year.

A year back, I could not have even predicted the changes that have taken place in my life and those surrounding me. I did not have even the faintest clue. Through each passing year, it still amazes me as to how much as a person I have changed. Or how circumstances have changed me!! I am not the same person I was a couple of years back. If you were to meet me today after a gap of few years, you are bound to be surprised / shocked by the changes in me. I have changed a lot over the past few years and I have come to accept it. My priorities have changed, my ideologies have changed, there is a much clearer sense of what kind of a person I am and what I want to be.

If you were to ask me if I prefer this current me to the old me, I don’t have an answer for you. In a lot of ways I think that the old me was a lot less complicated as a person rather than this current me. The complications in me as person arise probably with age. I know I used to be more flexible as a person, I know I used to be a lot more happy-go-lucky and a lot less decisive!! It used to be more of go with the flow than do things that really I liked! Oh! How things have changed from thereon…!!!

 

Expecting me to be the same person I was a few years back is something next to impossible. There might probably be glimpses of that girl that I once was years back, vestiges of the shadow of a being that I once was. Asking me why I am not like that and what has changed and why I have changed as a person is something that I have no answer to except the fact that, as life goes on, there are times that you are forced to change from within. And this coming from a person who is not overtly fond of change!! In fact given a chance I’d rather have everything as-is until kingdom come!! Or maybe not!!

Yeah! Bundle of contradictions..That’s me!!  

And now that I have written so much, which I am quite surprised at myself… I have no idea how to end this post!!

Err... So this is what you’re stuck with!! Talk about a dilemma!

And also it’s quite a serious post eh! Ah well! :-/

Edited to add: I myself can’t figure out what this post was supposed to convey in the first place!! Good luck to you guys! :)

Ok! I tried .. Not so great an effort, but I still tried to write!! :)

One month to this day since my last post. Something that I keep repeating every few posts, rather every last few posts… it’s very hard these days to muster up the energy to pen something down. Thoughts are aplenty but when I have the inclination to write, I don’t have the laptop / blogger at my disposal and typing a blog post from my phone is something that I cannot ever do. It’s just too much trouble.. And then when I have the time on my side, the inclination to do something else other than blogging is much more stronger! Talk about conflicts of interest!! Every single time I see a blog post from a friend, or from someone I really look forward to reading in my reader, I feel a twinge of guilt. Just a twinge! Nothing too heavy for then you would have seen this place inundated with posts. But that twinge still persists …

Gotta do something about it!! Yep! And not just with tags!! Ok! See! I can guess what most of you who read this space think ;-) Yeah! I know I have been doing too many of the tags, and constructive writing, if there was any has taken a backseat … time to change all that!!

So how have things been with me? Pretty much consistent … work wise things are looking up! The rough bits are still there, sometimes a lot more than I’d like for it to be, but then who wants it to be all smooth sailing… 

I joined dance classes again .. Bollywood dance classes this time around with all the jhatkas and matkas and item numbers! No! I am not kidding! Pretty darn serious! :-) Yes! As if it was not enough that I did the bollywood dance for most of my graduation, this is taking it a tad too far as my mom put it..  She asked me, what’s there to learn in bollywood dancing..  Err.. turns out quite a bit! :P :P

As usual, we saw a couple of movies, some good, some bad..  among the good were Kahaani and 3. The year clearly belongs to Vidya Balan. And as for 3, there are few reasons why I liked the movie..  one being the songs, another being the chemistry between Dhanush and Shruti Hassan and then some scenes that were pretty well shot. But mainly the songs..  Kannazhaga is on top of my list now!!

Ok.. This post is getting too boring for even my own liking and I am one of the most narcissistic souls you will find!! It seems to me like I am giving you all an update on whats going on in my life! This is so not constructive writing.. 

Wrapping this up here.. 

See you laters in a better worded post!! 

How old am I?? Apparently not very!! :P :P

So I came across this site while I was blog-hopping!!

www.urlai.com – it’s a site that analyses your blog !!

Of course, I had to analyze my blog url as well…

And this was the result..

"My Expression!! My Life!!"

"Text analysis"

"aishwarya-ananth.blogspot.com is probably written by a female somewhere between 13-17 years old. The writing style is personal and happy most of the time."

You don’t believe me!! Check this!! http://urlai.com/url/aishwarya-ananth.blogspot.com

Sigh!! So, that’s what my writing style comes across as – teenage, adolescent. Wow! Brilliant! Just brilliant! And I thought I had crossed that bridge ages back!! Double Sigh!! :-(

Oh well.. So long as it is young!! :P Maybe this is the silver lining I gotta look out for! ;-)

The Ten Day Challenge: Day 4 - Seven Wants!!

This one I am going to enjoy writing. :P

The wants are in no specific order and just ones that popped into my head RIGHT NOW. I have a lot more desires that are just waiting to be fulfilled. :-) Anyone listening up there??  

SEVEN WANTS

1.     Go back to India for a vacation. Like RIGHT NOW if I could! For a looooonnnnnnggg vacation! I miss my home! :( It’s been AGES since I went home!

2.     To learn dance from Shobhana. I have heard that she is a tough teacher but I love her style of dancing. Also to keep learning dancing!

3.     All the books in my wishlist. (And that is one long list I tell you!)

4.     A room in my future house which is big enough to hold all my books, have enough space to dance, and is done entirely in shades of colors that I love and lots of windows and is on the topmost floor.

5.     Small holidays every year, 2-3 times at least visiting new destinations and not always beaches!

6.     To learn swimming so that I can get over my fear of water above nose level. Easier said than done! I know!

7.     To have a slumber party with my girls. :-) like old times!