Day 2 - MB2013 - Challenging Myself

I am all set to end this year in a very adventurous way...ok ok...adventurous only in virtual world. But ofcourse with captures from everyday life.
Yes - First Marathon Blogging. A Post a day everyday whole of this month with theme based post twice a week.

Next Challenge I took up is : #FMSphotoaday from FatMumSlim

I am totally charging myself up.

No idea how long i will remain in the race but i try nevertheless.

I have lost track of how many challenges i took up this year but left in between. Atleast I don't shy away from taking up newer challenges. (And I am glad that i keep trying)

Now this bit is something i need to work on in coming year. Keep taking up challenges but stick to them too. Finish them!

Let me start with giving it my best try this month!

That's a very important and urgent change i need to bring in myself. I get all excited about new things. Start with a bang too. buts somewhere along the path i loose track and give up. Strange part is that it happens with whatever i take up....even with hobbies & things i like. I loose interest very soon. 

So this is going to be my foremost Challenge for myself!

Recapturing smiles : Post 29

Earlier this month I complete 6 years of my stay here in Netherlands. Lot happened during this time.
Today i am listing 10 things from last 6 years that give me smiles.

1. First and foremost - I became a mom - 3.5 yrs back.
   
2. I experienced all kinds of weathers - Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter (And sometimes 2-3 of these on a single day :) )
   
3. I walked in knee deep snow and not just for fun for but for reaching work and then back home.
    
4. For the first time in life I did skiing
   
5. I learned to make things i would crave for and miss here.(food I mean)
   
6. I hosted parties for over 40 people and did every bit fo cooking myself including welcome drinks :)
   
7. I flew to another country to meet a friend (About a dacade back We used to fantasize about meeting each other at airport in some foreign land  and would never ever imagine one day we will do so too - there is along story behind this)
   
8. I learnt a new language - Dutch - good enough to talk to an old lady for half an hour in a train
   
9. Met people from all over the world and learnt there is so much cultural similarity in each one.
   
10. Went to Venice - which was one of my dream places to go.

OK - there are many more coming to mind now, but I will leave it to 10 :)

My life in books - Post 27

Now that all of you lovely girls have done this - Why should I leave the opportunity
Thanks Monika, Chandni, Iya for giving me the idea for this last bit of NaBloPoMo

Ok so complete the sentences by adding the title of the book you have read (Please don't relate to the content - It's only the titles)



Here is my life in books ...


In School I was: The Other side of the story

People Might be surprised I’m: Imperial Woman

I will never be: The Scapegoat

My Fantasy job is: Shalimar the Clown

At the end of a long day I need: (Of) Human Bondage

I Hate It When: (someone is) Extremely loud and incredibly close

Wish I Had: Sense and Sensibility :)

My Family Reunions Are: Made to Shine

At A Party You’d Find Me: (with) blue shoes and happiness

I’ve Never Been To:  The Farewell Symphony

A Happy Day Includes:  A Thousand splendid suns

Motto I Live By:  Don't sweat the small stuff...

On My Bucket List: A Passage to India

In My Next Life, I Want To: (be on) The Good Earth

Bliss - Post 26

I read this at Chandni's blog and got the inspiration.

I have two fav places to sit at home. One is exactly like her - on bed with books on side table and TV in front.

But my preffered one is.. Easy chair by the window with huge mug of coffee and a book in hand, gazals playing in background. Feeling the warmth of sunshine or hear heavy rainfall on window. I love this chair of mine. Just sitting there looking outside and lost in thoughts is what i like the most ;)

I have another fav place which i rarely get to use. Its the swing in our garden. I just love sitting there watching the sky - be it the blue one with white clouds or the night sky with stars. Thanks to mostly cold and rainy weather I rarely get to do this. Having weekend morning coffee sitting there is an absolute bliss which I have got to experience only couple of times till now.

So tell me- which is your fav place to sit??

No more - Post 24

That pain inside
and that tension in head
It was all so clear
see those wrinkles on forehead

that broken heart
and that choking throat
its no longer hidden
as you try to swallow those tears

Heaviness loathing
and breathing not real
you just seem to drag
that life which seemed surreal

Is that your soul?
Oh It seems no more
That thing called feelings is dead
And there is no more dread

Not being able to bear that
I turn away lost in my thoughts
My movement sees me moving too
Oh Mirror Oh Mirror...please tell me its not true!

© 2011 Life Begins. Please DO NOT COPY. 

Thursday Challenge - Post 23

I felt a strong urge to do this when i saw Thuirsday challenge ( Also to catch up on posts)

So the theme for this week is :

"WET" (Rain, Puddles, Water,...)

 

Life on the way - Post 22

Today morning when i was on my way to work - as always i noticed quite a few things.
Shoes have been my love always. So i was just randomly noticing what people were wearing..i mean footwear. And i took some shots. So here i present to you some random shots i took this morning.

This one for the special standing out red socks :)

And this one specially to show that goldden bag that the old lady was carrying. :)

A life - Post 21

Of this and that
Of here and there
We think we talk
We write and share

We hear and listen
We think we smile
We ponder and indulge
And do it for a while

Some lift this heart
Some give an ache
And moments we live
For no one's sake

Ever since i started blogging which is about 8 yrs now ( on different blogs) i came across so many different people and part of their lives. Irrespective of distances, gender, religion, age, likes, dislikes - people connected. With some its a quick connection... Something like that feeling one gets when meeting for the first time and yet seems like we know each other for long. That instant wavelength matching :)  - as some say! I have felt the same with many. But somehow i feel i need to take a step back before going all over into someone's life ... And opening up mine. Then there comes a time when the comfort level grows. Bloggers become friends. 

Isnt it amazing how we read something  and feel its exactly what we think. How quickly and how many times we nod at what we read. How often we read about things close to our heart. How we read things that we shy away from talking about. How we feel for things. 

I find blogging another world in itself. Another life parallel to physical being. With smiles, joys, tears, sadness, pats and bows, lows and highs .....with friends and aquaintances and perhaps enemies too. 

A life I can control and  look forward to all the time...!!! A life whose birth and death I can decide. 

One such day - Post 20

I don't think  i have anything worth writing today besides telling how my last 30 hours have been.

Yesterday aftrenoon around 1 PM i was told about an urgent very high priority business issue.

I immediately got onto it...tried to find the root cause... And when i say I got onto it..take it in its complete sense. Continuously trying to find the reason - From 1 in the afternoon till 2 in the night. Still no luck :(
I was cross eyed by then and could hardly see anything clearly (imagine looking at numbers whole day - trying to pick up that one wrong number somwhere)
So called it a day (or night) at 2 ..but could not sleep till 3. Woke up at 6 and back to business again. With no luck...came to office. Together with another colleague the search began once again.
With luck or God's grace or hard work or whatever you call it - we found the cause and fixed the problem by 3 PM today.

What joy and what relief!! I finally started breathing again...

And shall i tell you the cause :)

It was one asterix (*) in front of one of the numbers - a star at a place where it can only go wrong :)

Khoda pahaad nikli chuhiya ( Anyone knows an english proverb for this)....Well the impact was HUGE.

I am dozing off as I am writing this... Zzzzzzz...............

Oh wait i better go home now.

Flashback - Post 19

I was googling for soemthing on internet and somehow landed up searching for my first school. So many things/incidents flashed back in a split second. I was lost in the beautiful memories and smiling.

Here are few of those which came to my mind... And I am still smiling... :)

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When I was in Class 1 (around last month of so in that class) , i lost my english book in school. I got the new one but could never forget that one(don't remember why) 3 years later when i was in Class 4 and was in library for something else - i found it there on one of the shelves - with same cover and my name there on :)
I somehow have the feeling the title of the book is in my mind too but somehow can't get it out.


When I was around 4 yrs and my little sister was just born - I used to take mental note of everything she would do. It felt like a responsibility that i should be telling her all that when she grows up. And i did remember quite a bit.


When I was around 5-6, I used to go buy dahi (yoghurt) from a special shop selling fresh yoghurt. I loved that walk alone and felt like I am doing a great job. But there was that secret (ok not secret at all actually after you read further) action i loved....i would eat some of the yoghurt while walking back home. (Oh how i loved that fresh set youghurt and i still do) Howsoever hard i tried to keep that a secret, i always always - without missing even once - spilled little bit on my t-shirt or frock and would be caught as soon as i would reach home inspite of my efforts to look my innocent best :)


I have been very fond of high heels and umbrellas right from my childhood. So as soon as one of my aunts would come home while on her way back from work - I would wait for her to take off her sandals and put her things aside. And next moment I would be out wearing those and holding that umbrella. I could play hours on with just those 2 things. Until one day i tripped over and hurt on of my finger very badly. I had to get stitches done. Please note - my love for high heels is still intact even though i was never allowed to wear my aunt's sandals ever again after that day.


When my sister was around 2-3 yrs and I obvisouly much older (than her), mom made dresses for both of us- exactly same style skirt-top but different colors. mine was lemon yellow and her was purple. It was exactly same style yet i liked her more. Her skirt has much more beautiful lace on the edges than mine. i felt my mom was partial because she was the baby doll of the house :) (But i dont think I ever complained about that openly - the wise elder sister I was and perhaps am :) )

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So do you have any such memories from early childhood? Please share - would love to read.

Morning - Post 18

I heard some sounds
Some music?
Was it twinkling
Or was it knocking

The sounds of rain drops
On the glass window
The notes were perfect
Rhythm so sweet

Rays of light
Trying to peep inside
Magic of the moment
Froze in time

Oh morning
Oh beautiful morning
Ring the bells
And move those curtains

Let life soak itself
In the symphony of that moment
Let soul wake up
To the beauty of life!

© 2011 Life Begins. Please DO NOT COPY. 

30 something... - Post 17

Very very long time back I had read this somewhere and now have been thinking about it for many days.

It was written as "20 something..." but i realised a lot of it is applicable beyond that too. And perhaps its more befitting only now. As "30 something..."

Yes am talking about age... How it is to be 20 something and then 30 something.
20 something has been called "Quarter Life Crisis" by someone. I had these few lines saved.

I am quoting some here.For complete article read here

It's quarter life crisis...When...

"You start realizing that people are selfish and that, maybe,those friends that you thought you were so close to aren't exactly the greatest people you have ever met, and the people you have lost touch with are some of the most important ones.What you don't recognize is that they are realizing that too,and aren't really cold, catty, mean or insincere,but that they are as confused as you."

Isn't it valid at whatever age we are!

Unknown reasons - Post 16

That blue sky and that bright sun

temperatures soaring..

hearts beating

as she sits there

Gazing out of the window 

That secret gaze..

No more becoming 

the topic of laughter

It feels good

Today she is the point

a touch on that flying hair

and settling that shawl

Advise is flowing like waterfall

Talk sensible

And do not smile much

Sitting across from each other

a gaze is shared 

eyes meet 

she saw that smile vanishing

she sits there again

Near the window ...gazing outside

sky is dark

sun has set

Morning is far far away

She continues to be the laughing matter

what went wrong

Smiles only vanished

Talk never happened

© 2011 Life Begins. Please DO NOT COPY.

Alone or Loneliness? - Post 15

Feeling alone or is it loneliness...i don't know.

But I think I know some of the reasons.

The city where i live and the city where i work are miles apart. It takes me 1 hr 45 minutes one way with public transport. (Please note this is not a rant post for that reason)

Ok - So I have been travelling like this for almost 6 years now. Metro, Train, Bus....Thats my routine.
And over all these years I have met many people on my daily route.

People who lived in the neighbourhood but we had never seen each other before. We became friends. We just travelled same direction at same time in metro. After that our directions changed.

People who worked in the same city as me. We travelled together in train.

People who worked in the same building as mine but different company. We travelled together in train and bus.

People who were my colleagues. We never knew we were in the same company until we came across each other in some company meet. We worked in different departments and our office was on different floors.

People who were my colleagues and we worked in same departments and sat on same floor. We travelled together in train/bus. Two of them are my closest friends now.

People who took the train from the same station as I do but for different destinations. And did I tell you we are friends for life now. First few times after we started meeting outside trains and stations, we introduced ourselves as train friends.

Once again people who travelled same direction as me in bus - our office buildings being next to each other. And we became very good friends.

People who travelled with me in the same train and have kids same age as mine. Our kids are friends now - closer than we are :)

People whom I had met before in common friends' gatherings and then started travelling together too in the same direction in train.


Inspite of so many people I met and had enough company all through my journey - I am loosing out on it now.

2 of my nice neighbours/friends in metro have stopped taking the metro. One started driving to work and another changed job.

And slowly over a span of 3 years...my friends in the train also started leaving. SOme moved closer to work so they dont travel by train anymore. Some others changed jobs. SOme relocated to another country. And for one - their company moved to another city to another bigger building. All those who were colleagues and fellow travellers have changed jobs. (May be it's a sign i need a change too)

I always always sit in the same compartment in the train for last 5 yrs. Not the same seat though - which is not possible for obvious reasons.
So today - when i was sitting in my usual spot without anyone to talk to and I realised I have none of those left to accompany me on my almost 4 hr journey everyday. No more exchanging messages in the morning about who is taking which train. No more looking out of the window to wait for someone. No more sharing the urge to take  a nap in the early morning train. No more fashion-police like comments on people sitting around (and that was with an Indian friend - we would talk in hindi and laugh between ourselves without the person sitting next to us having a single clue thats its about him :) :) THough we always dreaded tha day someone would reply back in hindi.) No more exchanging sms about person sitting next to us and giggling away to glory. No more sharing tips on how to handle that boss or in some cases kids.
Even though I have made some very good friends Its still not the same as meeting everyday.

Sitting in that metro or train or bus...I am surrounded by people but I still feel alone.

Wordless Wednesday - post 14

Can anyone of you guess what this is??

Clothes? - Post 13

I am sure everyone gets a kick as soon they hear about clothes (well - thats not limited to that only)

Ok so my point was - I do get all excited about the topic as soon as I hear it but only till the point its about buying :)

I hate anything to do with clothes other than buying. I hate washing, hanging theM to dry, wrapping up, ironing, sorting them and arranging them in cupboards. I just cannot do that.

This is one thing which irritates me the most. And this is one thing that I am most embarrased about when i have guests over. Thank God for that attic area where i can dump everything. Its like a laundry house...clothes everywhere. And When I have friends over esp those who are first time visitors and all enthu about wanting to have a walk through of the house, I make sure I do not make any hint to another floor. I just escort them back to groud floor after they have had the first floor round and praised my house maintenance skills. (All for their own beneifit - I do not want them to get a shock and also I do not want to refrain myself from little boost in between all the guilt I live with everyday)

Ok Am spilling all the beans today.....

My cupboards are dumping box. You cannot find anything there - Just cannot!

My attic is like maze. You really need a navigation system to  walk there and search something  (I so wish every piece of cloth had a chip in it so I could trace it with GPRS - so much for the technology we are used to)

I never can find my socks after they go for washing. I keep buying new ones (Oops....now thats serious - Imagine teh day i will find out all - i will need a cupboard just for socks ;)  ok slight exaggeration but nearly true)

There are times when my cupboard has only clothes which i do not wear and all the ones whic i wear are piled up for ironing.

Many a times i suddenly find something in that pile which i had totally forgotten about. i get pleasantly suprised to find it ( Imagine how long it lies there that I totally forgotthat I have somethign like that)

So many times including one today I remember certain tops only when I look at old pictures. And the search begins!

I wish someone would come up with use-and-throw clothes. Wear them once or perhaps twice and throw away.  (Oh even the thought is sooo sooo relieving)


I know I know most of you will be saying - How can anyone be that unorganized!!
Believe me i won't say NO to any help offered to change it.


Ok there is one aspect of clothes other than buying that I like. I like stitching. :)
Two is enough - Right?


PS: There is a silk stole I am searching in my house for 2 years now .... all efforts in vain. I know I have it. I have never used it. I know i  have not given it to anyone. If anyone has a clue - please help!!

Hope - Post 12

Doesn't it strengthen that feeling that there is still hope...

Hope that keeps us all going

Hope that there is light beyond what all we can see

Hope that life has a brighter side to it

Hope that there is life behind these dark couds

Hope that this darkness will end soon

© 2011 Life Begins. Please DO NOT COPY.

Heaven - Post 11

Up above
Or deep inside
Peace resides

Deep below
Or far away
This life smiles

Heaven smiles
Life rejoices
Ready for the next step
Soul flies

Reminiscences of past gaiety - Post 8

Clearly and purely inspired by Monika's post today - I started writing this.

10 things I want back from my life

Walking to school

and evening play time with friends

Summer vacations

and visits to badi-mummy's (grandmom) home

Sunday evenings

and movie time with family

Outings with friends

and Coffee dates at Barista

Shopping with mom and sis

and gol-gappe n chat on the way back

Thinking about all this has taken me years back... I am missing so many things now.

And I also have this on my mind now...

A step at a time - Post 7

This is our new mantra now - by our I mean me and another colleague.
We decided about it 2.5 weeks ago. And fianlly started following it too.

My office is on 7th floor and ofcourse we take elevators - always with few exceptions when there was some serious problem with them ( count that as 3-4 times in 6 yrs :) )
I have always wanted to do so but could never gather the strength enough to do so. I always had excuses ready - oh my bag is too heavy or i am wearing high heels, oh am too tired, oh my back is aching.... The list is never ending!

Finally, one day while i was going out to grab some lunch, my friend suggested we take the stairs to go down. I couldn't say no atleast for going down. So i smilingly accepted the idea, secretely wishing she does not come up with idea on the way back.

Going Down was easy-peasy .. Add girly gossip to that to make it fun. I unconsciously timed it. We took just 2 min. Hmmm... that was quick.

We went ahead. Did the shopping and walked back. I had little bit stuff only in a small bag. But she had done some extra shopping and was carrying a heavy bag. I was sure she would not be able to climb up the stairs. And to my delight ... She didnt (can u imagine me dancing?)

We took the elevator up. Had our lunch and some more gossip. In between she suggested going for one round up and down the stairs after lunch. I shrugged the idea like a useless idea and ignored it, moving on to more interesting topics.

But to my surprise she came right after I went back to my desk and signalled to join her as if we have been stairs-buddies forever. No she cant be serious. I just had lunch, my stomach is full and besides i have so much work to do. While i was lost in thinking she called me again. I still asked- "are you sure?"
"Yes yes.. Come now.."- came the oh-so-casual reply.

Using all my might and power i got up and joined her. Going down was OK .. 2 min maggi noodles task. But climbing up... OMG, why wasnt our office on 3rd floor or worst 4th floor. Why do they make high buildings. Till 3rd floor was smooth, another one upto 4th was some work. But one more was a drag. I almost had the urge to take a break and rest a while. 2 more floors seemed like HUGE. Then she suggested we stop on 6th floor and go to library there to pick some books. I rejoiced in the idea. Thank God one less floor. I quickly climbed 20 odd stairs to another floor. And then suddenly she changes her mind-"No, leave it, we will come for books later".

Hunh???

I silently climbed another floor and thanked God we didnt work on 10th floor.

I was slightly out of breath but it felt ok. 3 min dot.

Inspite of my lazy-bum stubborness it got done. In my heart, i felt happy.

It's been fun ever since!!