Cheer Up love...it's not the end of the world!

"Cheer Up love...it's not the end of the world!" A stranger actually said this to me at the airport in London!

I have been meaning to blog for a few days now...last week was quite stressful. It definitely started off badly, what a typical Monday. Well, honestly I'm not one of those people who hate Mondays - you know people who invariable start the week in the foulest of moods...though I know quite of few of this kind! Monday is like any other day to me...just like Rainy days don't depress me. But last Monday seemed quite bad.
To start off with, the interviews I had scheduled for the weekend before completely flopped. I mean, they sounded like dream candidates....but turned out to be the biggest frauds ever, would you believe we were tempted to call the police!!!! How can you blatantly lie about your work experience and skills, you are bound to be found out...and isn't it embarrassing???! Ok, well even if you fluke it and get the job, how would you do your job without knowing what to do or how to do it??!!! I don't think I will ever be able to understand some people.
At the end of a hard day at work, I decided I needed to restart my yoga(I hadn't been to classes since my fall). As I was leaving work on time, my boss clocked me(Literally!) and pointed to his watch and said I was leaving three minutes early. I tried to explain that the time on my PC read 17:32...but he said that the only time that mattered was the time on his watch. Well okay then....what about the countless times I have left work after 20:00 on my PC and his watch!!! So I left for yoga class feeling terrible and completely unappreciated.
I didn't manage to enjoy myself as much at yoga either....my right arm was killing me and I wasn't able to do most of the routines or positions as well. I hate feeling inadequate, especially when I was able to do something that I can't anymore...it's sort of the same feeling I get when I can't fit into my favourite pair of jeans! For all my female friends reading this, you might laugh, but you know what I'm talking about...you've been there!
So I got home feeling pretty much like shit, and to top it off I had my husband give me a lecture about standing up for myself and being able to say 'no'. All this while I made dinner. I was so down by the end of it all, I had to end the day on a better note. So I put on my Christmas music CD...I know it's early, but there's nothing better than Christmas and Christmas music to cheer you up(well it might not work for everyone - but it works on me!). I don't know what it is, it could be the general festive spirit Christmas is known for or memories of many fun times during this season. Whatever it is, it worked for me...it's funny how the simplest thing can make you smile.
I'm trying to think of other simple things that can be used to cheer you up :
A good ol' sitcom.
An honest compliment.
Chocolate...it really works!
Bumping into a long lost friend.
The rain - especially when you are from Vellore.
The Sun - especially when you are from Stoke!
I'm sure there are a lot more you can think of....list them out if you can remember any..

A lesson well learnt

I have this uncanny ability to remember alot of detail from many years ago, details that usually do not matter, such as what somebody was wearing when we went to see a certain movie. My brother is the same as well, he can quote something I have said about five years ago, again it usually is something very insignificant! My mom always said we should have put this ability to better use with studies!!!!
You know when you are a kid and assume that the world revolves around you....well I was probably like that for the first seven years of my life. I remember clearly the incident that burst my bubble, and thank god for that! My birthday was approaching, I was about to turn seven. Like every other year before I assumed that I would have a birthday party, all the kids would be over, we would play fun games, I would get a cake with seven candles on it and I would get loads of gifts.....and all this would be in my honour!!! However this was not meant to happen. I remember my dad having a talk with me(he probably felt very bad to have to say this to me). He said that we were going to buy a car that year.....a second hand, old model of the Maruti 800(TCJ 63), oh the good ol' days! Because of this we would not be able to afford to have my birthday party. I think I took it quite well, considering I could throw a tantrum in those days! I remember thinking by me not having a birthday party, and making the ULTIMATE sacrifice, we could afford a car. So in my mind I actually thought I was contibuting to the purchase of this car...we were going to get a car because of my sacrifice...lol!!!So that's probably when I realised that the world did not revolve around me and I have loved to give ever since, in my own little way. It was a lesson well learnt. Of course it did not teach me anything about saving my money or my dad's for that matter!!

And I did it my way

By always trying to 'be good' we miss the possibility of being 'great'.
I came across this recently and loved the line. To me it means by being good or doing something the 'right' way we limit ourselves. By sticking to the coventional way we miss the possibilities of a better or greater option. All it takes is a little courage to maybe take up that job you thought you were not confident of doing, or trying a new sport, or moving to another country.....or even as simple as ordering something different at a restaurant. I have been guilty a few times of sticking to the 'tried and tested' way of doing things, but have often been delighted when the unconventional way has worked out really well. I can give you a few examples but if you know me you would probably know them anyway!

And then the Rains came...

It's been a traumatic weekend in Madras and I live to tell the story! It has been over cast and raining constantly for over 10 days and our poor city just cannot take it.
On Saturday, we were to go for this annual ball which is a very formal event, to start off with anyway. It's quite funny actually, the first few times I attended such events, I always felt like Eliza Doolittle at the race!! I've now become comfortable attending these events(as long as it isn't too often!) and quite enjoy getting dolled up for it. I pampered myself with a pedicure and manicure. I indulged even more by getting my hair done in ringlets...my poor hair needs therapy, just as it's getting used to being straight(after being wavy for 25 odd years) I decide to confuse it again and curl it. I wore my designer dress that has been in the closet(lol) for a good 3 months waiting for this event, I even wore my precious diamond jewelry. Ok before I bore the men folk reading this....basically I went all out....
We had a pretty good time but as we left the hotel reality sort of set in while we drove through flooded main roads. As we turned onto the road where we live I was just about to destress when we saw the water level was so high, we could have used a boat instead of a car....thus Renie's wiseguy comment! Well the engine of our car died right in the middle of the road....wish we had that Chitty Chitty Bang Bang car...does anybody else remember these movies...or is it only me?
We waited for a few minutes as my husband got restless and insisted that we walk it to our house. But...I'd had a pedicure, I was wearing a new dress and my shoes...my beautiful shoes!!!! Apart from all this, I have always felt disgust and sympathy at the same time whenever I looked out of my car window and spotted people wading through stagnant rainwater....yes I can be snobbish however hard I try not to be! So I refused to get out of the car, I had my feet on the seat as the water was now flooding the bloody car. I waited it out for almost an hour before our driver said to me in a very sympathetic tone that the only option was to wade through the water upto our apartment. So I put on Martin's dinner jacket, took off my shoes and hiked my dress up and walked through the water(the water was almost upto my waist)....it should have taken about 10 to 15mins but it seemed like a lifetime. I felt extremely emotional and humiliated for some reason, but I also felt grateful...it's amazing how strangers can help you and give you courage....there was this lady who offered to walk along with me to sort of guide me, as the roads(that we could not see) were broken and we needed to avoid the ditches. I finally made it home, we had to take the stairs as even the lift was flooded.
I made sure I had a good long hot shower when we made it back ....the story does not end here, well not quite anyway. I couldn't sleep after all that drama, so I decided to make a cup of tea. As I walked into the kitchen I failed to notice water streaming into the apartment under the main door. So...yes I slipped and fell down really badly on my right arm - the one that I had broken about 15yrs ago. I screamed and cried, probably waking the whole building early Sunday morning. All that Yoga and Weight Training for my weak right elbow gone to waste. It is now as weak as it was when I had the fracture 15yrs ago. Well anyways the only good things to come out of the whole ordeal -
I was forced to make the long overdue trip to Vellore...I need to go more often.
I had a story to tell on my blog!
I don't go all snobbish when I see poor souls walking through the floods...well not yet anyway!

Wish upon a falling star

I have always liked trying new things it terms of fitness........I have gymed for ages, I jog, I used to do aerobics and yoga, I have even done kick-boxing! Recently I rejoined Power Yoga classes after I ran into Divya who is a great Yoga Instructor. I have to admit I am crap at yoga or anything else that requires me to be flexible, but I absolutely love doing these classes. The classes are held on the terrace of a Beasant Nagar Apartment Building from where you can see the beach, the setting sun, the church, the temple and a typical chaotic scene of the city I have come to adore and call home. It is a great way to end a busy or not so busy day at work.
The other day we were ending the class with some breathing and relaxation excercises. Now the point of the excerices was to let your mind and body relax. The instructions were clear...try NOT to let your mind wander. So there we were lying on our mats facing the sky as the sun set and the stars started twinkling. As I stared at the dark sky, I noticed a falling star(Also called shooting star...& yes I googled it to see if they were the same!)...I don't think I've seen one before. Then of course I remembered you are to wish upon a falling star and though I don't believe in such things I decided to do so just in case! So my mind was racing....a successful career I thought to myself...but no that was too selfish.......a happy life....nah, too much of a cliche....I know that wishing to lose weight or pass an exam does not work(don't even ask), so I won't consider those. World Peace.....now that's not selfish and god knows we could do with that and maybe if there were enough of us wishing for it, who knows it might come true.....
To Divya.....I will try to not let my mind wander the next time.....

Beautiful....

I had just cooked dinner last night and as I walked out of the kitchen, my husband looked at me, smiled and said..."Beautiful". I had to smile. Well of course it's great when your husband (still) thinks you're beautiful, but I was smiling because I had just spent an hour in the kitchen....so I was pouring with sweat, had not combed my hair in over 12 hours, I had not bothered to wash my face after work so I had my eyeliner and kajal running all over my sweaty face and I was probably smelling of onions and garlic......basically I looked terrible! So when somebody finds you beautiful all the time....when you wakeup in the morning and look like you've been in a hurricane hit spot, when you've been sick and have a runny nose or when you walk out of the kitchen looking like you've been in a combat zone, it's very special. To me this actually translates into unconditional love. You know when you have become very fond of someone, they start looking really nice in your eyes?(as opposed to before you knew them, or worse - if you disliked them at some point!) Many people have asked me(Esp before our wedding) - "how do you know that this person is 'the one'?". I have always rattled off different answers depending on my mood or the person I'm talking to. But here it is people, it can't get more obvious than this - when you receive unconditional love and he finds you beautiful no matter what - Go For it!!! Of course you have to feel the same way as well....

I Love........

I Love.......
Martin....My Husband
A cup of strong coffee made by my mom - early in the morning
To make my friends laugh
My brother's Smile
The feeling after a good workout
Being Passionate about something
Watching kids at play
A good gossip session with my best friend...Zac
People who Inspire...like my mom
Orkut!!!
Feeling Pretty....how egoistic I hear you say....but this is my space remember?!
A stimulating conversation....Divya Sesh, if you are reading...this one's for you!
My Dad......