Happy Holidays :)

                                                                       

And its time again for people like me who live thousands of miles away from their family to get back home. Beg borrow and steal a few leaves from our busy lives, take 30 hour long flights just to get home. Oh yes! its holiday season again. Apart from the fact that a whole year has gone by without me doing anything that was really thought provoking or world changing ( holiday season is  definitely not a time for reality checks..) its time to be back home again. A time for family dinners, to spend hours decorating Christmas tree and hanging those silver bells and tiny trinkets and baubles on  it, a time to spend evenings chatting with friends who you have most probably  met after a year and in all probability will see again only after a year, a time when you love Christmas carols no matter if you actually know the words to them or not. You smile when you sing them, hear them, play them whistle them out or just even think about them. A time to believe in Santa again no matter how old you are or how many times you have seen your dad put presents under your pillow a decade back. For me its a time to interrogate all my friends take an inventory of the sweets that have made and then chalk up a schedule to go and hog on all those delicacies in record time. My personal favorites are little somethings called as rose hooks. No they don't look like hooks and nope they are not made up of rose petals but they make you take a trip to heaven every time you have one none the less.

Its also the season when you love putting on a few extra kilos from all the joy you share without being chastised for it.  A few extra cups of steaming sweet hot coffees/ chocolates that you get to have in the cool winters that are so loved and much appreciated by people in Mumbai where anything below 55 degrees  is winter. A time to watch all those Christmasy  movies you get to watch on TV where the north pole and thus Christmas is on the verge of extinction and is saved by that one naughty kid who would topped Santa's list had he not gone all out and saved the happy jolly man and his pack of reindeer s.

 Christmas is also a time for love. To spend time with those you love. A time to see smiles everywhere, brought on by little kids wearing Santa caps and running around or by millions of people that travel home through Jam packed airports and security lines that run miles long to hug and kiss those who come to get them at the airports. 

Christmas is also a time to thank someone up above for a wonderful year that has gone by. For all the things that went your way and all that did not. A season to forgive and learn to love again. A season to give and feel that warm tingly little feeling in your heart that tells you ' you did the right thing' by helping out someone or just doing that something you have been meaning to do for the past year but never really did it. 

Its also a time to see the town bathe in a new glow from all the decorations that are put up everywhere, a time to hope it snowed in Mumbai to see a white Christmas with your family. A time to hold on to your loved ones to make them stay just a little bit longer in the evening. A time for slay rides or just may be dream bout them. A time to hope that the Christmas magic exists, that all's good in the world and that dreams do come true. A time to hope life would be like movies and even if it doesn't its still a time to smile cause this might be the closest it will be. 

Cheers to all the Christmas joy and love. Merry Christmas to all my friends and hope you have the happiest of the holiday season :) 

PS : Pic of b-town bathing in the Christmasy glow and all the louuu or maybe i just have my Christmas glasses on.

November Rain...

It's that time of the year here in US when the Christmas spirit is yet to be magical and the thanksgiving spirit is responsible for making your days all warm and fuzzy. The beautiful colors of fall have all dried up and the snow yet to come. So what remains... November rain!!
Rains in Mumbai and US are way too different from each other. In Mumbai, the rain is warm and the wind is cool, in US the rain is cold and the wind even more colder. Somehow the sweet smell that drifts up when cool water drops fall on the dried up ground doesn't exist here or maybe its just because the windows have to be closed over here all the time that we do not realize. In Mumbai you feel like getting drenched, looking up at the sky and smiling. here its so cold when it rains I go running into my closet to search for an extra jacket that would fit snuggly under my raincoat so not a drop gets through... In Mumbai i carried an umbrella and purposely closed it up when i walked back home, got wet, and told mom that the wind was just too much for my umbrella to handle. In US my only umbrella has lost its precious button and hence the ability to open. I cursed myself a thousand times today morning when i realized i had yet not yet bought a new one to replace that. Consequences of procrastination : Stuff the laptop compartment in your bag with free newsletters to avoid your laptop from taking a shower while you run to the nearest bus-stop shelter. Use your coat to cover the bag till you realize you aren't a polar dog meant to run through temperatures this low and decide to screw what happens with the laptop and cover yourself before you realize you have a few digits missing. I never knew that all the sneakers you got back in Mumbai that advertised "how your feet could breath through your shoes yada-yada" were actually true. I feel like duct taping all those tiny vents in my shoes when the wind is too cold or its raining outside, cause believe me if there was any more ventilation than this i'd rather walk just in my socks and not wear any shoes at all.
 Rains in Mumbai would mean mom is making hot Pakoda's at home cause dad loves them. In Mumbai no matter how much it rained my 'hot cup of tea' stays hot for long enough for me to sip it with pleasure, in US i have to reheat my cup of tea at least 3 times before i can finish it and not have gobbled it down.
However in Mumbai or in US, long conversations with friends over hot coffee/tea always remain the most rocking part of your day, a good book always seems to get you out of my rainy blues and into a great mood, a mushy/funny movie is always appreciated, a hot tea/coffee cup in your hand (even if its reheated a million times) is always welcome, warm socks and that snuggly jacket is always searched for, wish to meet your loved one is always gossiped over and mom made Pakoda's are always remembered.

PS: Pic of somethings that make a cold day worthwhile..

Moments like this...

So even if your day is really busy and you would probably not find enough time to sleep or cook there are still a few moments in life that make you stop in your tracks.. take a breath and wonder "yeah that definitely makes a difference in me"...
Living so far away from home has given me a chance to come up with quiet a few of these moments..not all are positive but none the less they made a difference...moments when i discovered that i can actually stay away from my family and not die makes me feel strong. To see people being extra ordinary leaders and take control of situations where you are not sure of yourself makes me feel confident of being able to do that someday, to know that 'kind' exist somewhere. To see people as calm as the breeze helped me realize that that's probably something i want to be. To keep a smile on my face when the going gets tough, to not worry bout the judgment made on me..these are the ones that unlike calm water do not ripple out at the slightest provocation but instead find a way around the obstacles they face. A few innocent smiles and shared secrets makes me realize that its not impossible to find friends.. that the innocence of friendship does exist somewhere even amongst all that is said and done... The fact that life still inspires me here to do something better ..something bigger ..... It makes me realize i am not here to wait on time.. that i have to keep moving on..
Life here teaches you to know the importance of little things in life and not always wait on a huge occasion to celebrate... making 'vegetable curry' successfully calls for a photograph and tasting each others kitchen disasters connects us...i have learned to live life differently here.. to live life in moments.. to let them inspire me..

PS: credits for tittle to my very recent friend and pic taken on a walk on a windy sunday morning..

A whole new world....

A month down in the U.S of A, the land of dreams as they say. The only song that comes to my mind when i try to summarize my 1st few days here would be "Bitter sweet symphony....That's life"...I landed in New York and lugged 4 super heavy suitcases into a taxi who's driver refused to help out ..after an almost broken finger, really sore arms and jet lagged mind i finally met a friend.. The way you feel when you're walking down an unknown path and see a familiar face is truly priceless. 'Chicken over rice' on road side stands felt just like 'vada pavs' in Mumbai.. Times square in all its glory, the Empire State building standing tall, long walk to the Brooklyn bridge, the statue of liberty shimmering in the afternoon sun and numerous round in all the subway trains all felt like an adventure trip. Just the way Alice would wander off into her dreamworld maybe.
                    Many have told me that you eventually do fall in love with New York if you stay there long enough. 2days have given me a fair idea about why they told me that. I reached Indianapolis the next day and as I stepped out of the airport and for the 1st time i realized i wasn't home anymore. It felt as if i was still back in India..some distant place maybe on vacation maybe.. but somewhere i knew i wasn't goin home for a long time. That this blue room was my home for some time to come now..(My room is painted with the darkest blue you could find ..i have no clue why anyone would do that..)

A month and many many experiences later i have somehow come to love this small town. If you own and can drive a car you can possibly take a trip across bloomington in about 15 mins but if you don't have a car and you need salt in your food and just realize you have none left in the closet its a painful 20 mins walk to the nearest shop..and i have to admit it i have had my fare share of these walks by now..The 1st few days i must have walked enough to complete a mini marathon i think. I walked to the stores. back from the stores. walked to get food ..money.. chairs ...beds... just walked and walked. Stood for 10 mins at a traffic light wondering why the sign wouldn't turn to "walk" before figuring out there was a button you need to press so that it could change...went for a 20 min walk got lost and reached home an hour later...Slipped and fell on the road. tore my only pair of grey trousers and got bruised..Applied as much sunscreen on my face as i would have used on my full body back in India and still got tanned...spent as much on buying a guitar as people have spent on getting an iphone..been stumped at the punctuality of the bus service..Played badminton, volleyball with some fantastic people...finally had some domestic friends...learned to play 'flip the cup' ..cooked with my roomy while youtube played all old hindi songs that only my dad used to listen to..got addicted to coffee...and learned to enjoy some really small things in life that otherwise would just get done in seconds.. In short the past one month has been crazy..hectic..ridiculously expensive (200 rs = 4$ for a coffee..r you kidding me!!!), living on pizza and all the possible things you could create if you put bread and cheese together..but its been fun. It a side of life that i have never known would become a part of me someday. Seen a different world. Seen people who know exactly what they want in life and wondered how i would get to that point and then at some point wondered if i really did want to be there.

But this part of my life's has just begun here.. Its an adventure...its a lotta work ...and sometimes it gets scary and sometimes it gets a little lonely...but none the less its a different chapter in my book. Something that's so new that i can't even imagine what tomorrow would look like.. but i know i want to be there... to feel it..

PS: I was feeling really blue one day and had gone to get stuff at walmart when i saw this ridiculously expensive book that i bought just cause i loved what was written on its cover.  The pic taken is the cover of this same book and it reads "The only requirement of having a dream is believing in it. - Molly Barker"

Friends Forever

And so we talked all night about the rest of our lives
Where we're gonna be when we turn 25
I keep thinking times will never change
Keep on thinking things will always be the same
But when we leave this year we won't be coming back
No more hanging out cause we're on a different track
And if you got something that you need to say
You better say it right now cause you don't have another day
Cause we're moving on and we can't slow down
These memories are playing like a film without sound
And I keep thinking of that night in June
I didn't know much of love
But it came too soon
And there was me and you
And then we got real blue
Stay at home talking on the telephone
And we would get so excited and we'd get so scared
Laughing at ourselves thinking life's not fair
And this is how it feels

As we go on
We remember
All the times we
Had together
And as our lives change
From whatever
We will still be
Friends Forever

So if we get the big jobs
And we make the big money
When we look back now
Will our jokes still be funny?
Will we still remember everything we learned in school?
Still be trying to break every single rule
Will little brainy Bobby be the stockbroker man?
Can Heather find a job that won't interfere with her tan?
I keep, keep thinking that it's not goodbye
Keep on thinking it's a time to fly
And this is how it feels

 As we go on
We remember
All the times we
Had together
And as our lives change
From whatever
We will still be
Friends Forever

So many people walk in and out of our lives every single day. I once read somewhere that everyone who walks into your life is there for a reason.They fulfill the task , the reason, that they had come for and leave. They may not leave long lasting footprints on your life but somewhere something changes. No matter how small or how finite.  
This thought for all of them who have came and are lost somewhere in my mind and for all who came and decide to stay(Lucky me).
 I have been of of the lucky few who ended up having a huge group of friends when i was in college. Though college was fun, i hardly think I knew how important they were to meet until we all were out of college and there was just  no time to meet. I don't know how we have kept it together as yet but we meet often enough to be just as up to date with each others lives as we were in college.The gossip still goes on and jokes still are extremely funny.We all have much more money in our pockets now and our expenditures have gone way way up. Vodka replaces the coke and branded clothes the off the road linking road shopping, rickshaws and buses are replaced by cars and bikes... but what remains the same is the crazy name calling (vakola bombshell , scratchy, weedly , pappy, ava, dabs, daddy,chameeto,shrimp...), the inclusion of us who suck at it  in the sports being played, the times when we sill have to sit down on the road cause we have ended up having  laughter fit over something silly said to someone or about someone....  the list goes on and all of this is so much a part of me now. What these people got to my life is life itself. I dont think i knew what friends were before i met these people. I love all of them so much . No matter where in the world i maybe. There will never be a group of people in my life i will love as much as i love these guys.None i could live with so easily and none i can forgive any faster no mater what they do.

Next came the huge big bad world of work and all the formal relationships that come along with it  and just when i thought i will never meet any friends here i met a few more. Some religiously crazy, some that never grew up, some that loved to dance ..one gal that i met for a few months and i know will stay in my life forever(and if she ever reads this i am sure she will comment 'How cheesy'...), one friend who is the craziest senior i have ever met :P ..Days went by listening to film stories and gossips. The only reason i think i dint find the corporate world so cruel was because of these people. And now that yet another chapter is about to begin i have two more friends in my life who have lit up my world. Chating till two bout hottest film stars and sobbing bout incomplete assignments. We just have built a world of our own.

These people who have walked into my life have not just left their footprints in my life but covered me completely ..immersed me in their light. They have made me see things in a way i would i refused to agree existed in the 1st place. Their company provides a place where i cant resist being me no matter how hard i try . They make me who i am. Cant thank them enough for just being here with me.

PS: Pic taken at pre new year bash while strolling on the beach.