oh hello 2014 or picking up from where we left off

In the last few days of 2013, I introspected on how the year had treated me and imagined a conversation with 2014.

Me: Went on unforgettable trips to Bombay and Dubai, survived CELTA, switched careers, lived in Europe for nearly two months, spent the best ten days ever in Germany, started teaching, was gifted a mountain bike for my birthday, had seven articles published, started running, ran two 10K races... let's see you top that, 2014!

What I imagined 2014 to have said: Challenge accepted.

What 2014 actually said: Bugger off, you twit.

Sigh.

I've been completely brain dead since mid-December, so much so that I've had to shamelessly delay writing my annual resolutions post, which sucks. Two jobs that took up 11-12 hours a day left my mind and sometimes my spirit in shambles at the end of the work week. Thankfully, I get both Friday and Saturday off. I've a new found respect for single parents that work long, grueling hours to support their children.

Why am I working two jobs, you ask in bewilderment? It was just to see if I could handle it. The first is just a temporary one that I'll be done with in 11 days. Hallelujah!

The other's a part-time teaching stint at a language institute. I taught a six-week course that ended less than two weeks ago and I loved it. I've realized that teaching English is a lot about give and take, if you allow it. I learnt so much about my students' cultures, countries, customs and traditions. They loved talking about food and we'd feel so ravenous at the end of class!

The only other interesting thing that happened since this year began is an injury which resulted in my right index finger getting swathed in an over-sized bandage for a week.

What happened, you ask out of idle curiosity? I was blending some meat and some of it got stuck in the blade. So I popped my finger in to dislodge it. Meanwhile, my left thumb suddenly developed a mind of its own and pressed the power button on the blender... while my finger was still in.

Quite a bit of blood sprayed around the kitchen and we might have consumed some that night. My finger however, is firmly attached to the rest of me. I am truly blessed.

My bike is perhaps my most treasured possession right now. I'd been planning to buy one for some time but the purchase was delayed when I traveled. My friends amongst the Q8FootSoldiers gifted it to me (and right in time, I had a meeting planned with a seller the same weekend!). My parents weren't happy at the prospect of me sharing street space with the psychopaths here but since I don't care for cycling amidst the traffic either, I mitigated their fears with the promise of either cycling early in the morning or with friends. The mother said she was glad I didn't tell my friends I want a dog.


I didn't meet many of my resolutions for 2013. And I don't feel the drive to even keep any for 2014. I made a list that I misplaced and I don't really care about finding it.


It's been ages since I wrote the last Deutschland Diaries post and Day 3 has been saved as a draft for over two months. I do intend to continue it, so stay tuned. There'll probably be a long overdue audit first.

Resolutions for 2013: Writing, Reading & Continuing Education

Some of my resolutions for 2013, in conversation with myself.

Writing Resolutions:

1. Post at least once a week. Don't ever abandon the blog again.
2. Start reviewing books on Goodreads instead of just reading and forgetting about them. Get into the character's skin and the author's mind.
3. Give some thought to converting this blog into a website.
4. Send articles to publications every month and build a writing portfolio. Rewrite and edit the unfinished write-ups from last year.
5. Have a tryst with Fiction. Eradicate the mental block that you're no good at it. You did it before, you can do it again.
5. Make a wholehearted attempt at writing a screenplay.
6. Continue recording dreams. Skim through past records for potential material.
7. Add to the vocabulary arsenal and draw from it.
8. Get in touch with like-minded bloggers and writers; read and comment on their work.
9. If the words start flowing, put them on paper/Notes app/Kleenex/currency notes/what have you IMMEDIATELY.

Reading Resolutions:

1. Finish reading The Elements of Style; read more on English grammar.
2. Read Stephen King's On Writing again.
3. Dwell in more classic literature, including works by Mark Twain, Ernest Hemingway, Elizabeth Gaskell, Anton Chekhov and, when in dire need of mirth, PG Wodehouse.
4. Read 25-30 books this year.
5. Read and learn about Impressionism from the books you bought in Munich.

Resolutions pertaining to Continuing Education:

1. Finish the Argument course on Coursera, absorb and apply the knowledge gleaned from it.
2. Pursue and complete some more courses on Coursera, at least two from: The Modern and the Post Modern, Gamification, Greek and Roman Mythology, The Modern World: Global History since 1760 and Learn to Program: The Fundamentals.
3. Learn some Arabic.
4. Revise French grammar and vocabulary. Attempt conversations in French. It's all there in the back of your mind.

______________________________________________________________


What are your resolutions for 2013?

the much-delayed return of what seems to be self-assurance.

Dear Reader,
(if anyone but me is reading this that is)

Have you been wondering where the devil I am? Excuse the archaic latter half of the interrogative if you think it inappropriate for this century; I have recently discovered Sherlock Holmes, and while I can't really recall reading it in any of his cases, I feel I must credit it to a possible dialogue uttered by Watson.

I digress, as usual. If you've been with me right from the beginning, you might perhaps be aware that I often do so. I think it a little entertaining. Do you?

Anyway. I have a confession/outburst/resolution to make.

This blog was meant to be for me. My little spot where I could nurture my writing. It was supposed to be an outlet for the creativity that lay dormant deep within me. It was meant to transform that dormancy into a seething, ferocious active volcano that would erupt with fabulous vignettes. Because I was told by near and dear and loved and not so loved ones that I had a gift with words. That I could write. That the drivel I often spouted had the potential to be something greater (okay those last few words are mine but the near and dear and loved and not so loved ones meant the same thing). For a time the volcano remained busy. But then somehow, somewhere, my blog lost its identity and as a writer, so did I. I began to crave followers, comments, page views, like an obsessed wanna-be tween with a newly uploaded profile picture on Facebook (I think I'm being unfair to tweens everywhere. I could accuse plenty of adults of harbouring the same obsession). At one point I even longed for my blog to be one of the most-read in the country. To be on those ranking lists. Phooey.

Don't get me wrong. I'm grateful to my followers. It makes me feel good that there are people out there who think what I write is worth reading (even if a lot of them are my friends who I've coerced into doing so) and who take the time to discern the annoying-as-hell captcha code and post a comment. I still feel a thrill when on the rare occurrence, I notice a new follower has joined the ranks of My Beloved Stalkers.

Reading so many different blogs, especially local ones, somehow got me muddled about what I began blogging for. I'm not really interested in telling people here what to do with their time and where to go. There are plenty of other blogs on which they can find that kinda info. I don't care to give anyone advice. I will perhaps continue chronicling interesting events I attend as they are part of my experiences and I believe there's something to learn from every encounter, every experience, although I think my last few posts have only been about events, which is going to lessen. I'm pretty sure I have more to write about than to inform people in many words of what a good time I'm having.

Of course, it is a part of every writer's dream to be read. To be recognized. To see their name in print. To write something that an editor thinks is worth publishing. And get published. And keep getting published. On second thought, I'm not going to generalize. I don't really know any other aspiring writers (but one) so I'm not going to speak for anyone. This is a part of my dream.

I don't want to lose my touch and I fear very much that I will if I continue my disappearances for such frequent and prolonged hiatuses. I don't want my blog to die. I don't know why I stopped posting for so long - it might be listlessness, a waning of enthusiasm, an inexplicable reticence, of not wanting to be read mingled with a despair of 'oh who's going to read it anyway', which in retrospect is quite unfair, as I'm pretty certain there at least 8 people who regularly read my deviating narratives and like them. It's definitely not writer's block, for I have many more drafts than actual posts. I think I just have a serious problem with finishing what I begin writing - I need to be completely satisfied with the conclusion.

But this has gone on for far too long. I am suddenly overcome with an impatient fervour to just sign into Blogger and do nothing but type.

To ensure that something (of hopefully, considerable quality) is churned out at regular intervals on my darling blog, I solemnly swear that, henceforth, I will have a post out (and not just save it as a draft, but hit the 'Publish' button) atleast once every fortnight.

I do value and welcome your feedback, criticisms and any pointers you may have for me. How else will I improve? Whether you love a post or hate it, I want to know. Especially if you hate it. Unless it's in your nature to just hate and spread the hate for the sake of it. Then I don't really want to hear from you, as I dislike unnecessary unpleasantness, more so if it's uncalled for. The alliterations were unintentional (HA!!).

Oh and in case you were wondering where the devil I've been (come to think of it, I might have lifted the expression from a Wodehouse novel), I found my first full-time job and have been working since Jan-end, and vacationed in Central Europe (yes, again) for three weeks in Aug-Sept. So I've plenty to write about.

Since you've been such a patient reader, I'll leave you with a not-so-terrible photo I took (of Schloss Eckberg, a hotel in Dresden, Germany that serves the most gorgeous and delicious breakfast EVER) and Bertie Wooster's endearing words of farewell: Tinkerty-tonk!

Schloss Eckberg and the sun peering though the branches

in retrospect: the year so far

A friend (the twa) pointed out to me that I got my wish of wanting to visit atleast one country this year (one of my New Year resolutions). Not one, but SIX! He's right! HOLY MACKEREL I VISITED SIX COUNTRIES THIS YEAR NONE OF WHICH WERE INDIA, KUWAIT OR THE UAE! (will tell you about the sixth in a later post)

This brings a crude but apt phrase/song in Hindi to mind - dene wala jab bhi deta, deta chappad phaad ke =D
which roughly translates to: 'when the one who gives, well, GIVES, then boy does He give! (literal translation is that the roof collapses with His giving)
I like my translation. It's cool. But I think one of my Hindi speaking blogger friends/followers can probably do a much better job even with the literal one. (Hindi speaking blogger friends and followers, that is your cue to pitch in)

I sort of got the rest of the resolutions taken care of as well.
Except getting a job by Jan end. Perhaps that was a bit ambitious. Let's make it year end then shall we? By saying year end I expect to have got one by next month. Although I did have a pretty great internship.. is that supposed to count? It shouldn't! I specifically said job! J-O-B. JOB!! One can still hope.. and pray. And continue scouting and networking.

Here's looking forward to an equally exceptional second half of 2011.

a penitent letter to a patient soul

Dear blog,

I've missed you. No really, I have. How could I not seeing as how you're such an integral part of my existence now? An ideal friend that accepts everything I say. I harbour a deep affection for you. And what do I get for it? A drastically altered, extremely aggravating and very drab new version of Blogger.
You may feel abandoned but the truth is I wanted to shelter you from the drudgery that life deals out to one from time to time.

We needed a break - atleast I did - to mull things over.
And now baybeh, I'm back with a bang.

I refrained from mentioning to you that I joined the Toastmasters in Feb. My first meeting at the Bright Horizons club as a guest was lovely to say the least and I joined the same hour. Though the purpose of the TM is to improve communication and oratory skills, I became a member 'coz it looked like so much FUN! The people were so warm and gracious that it developed a want in me to belong to something like that. And I proudly announce my membership to anyone I encounter and encourage them to check out the club by attending a meeting.

There are various roles in a TM meeting that can be played by different members which eliminates the possibility of a humdrum, monotonous, formal atmosphere that could have befallen upon one. It's not limited to mastering the art of public speaking but developing a creative streak through the desire to do things differently and the creativity that stems out from within because of it. In the last meeting I was the Grammarian (representative of the grammar police) and oh MAN did I love it. I could do it everyday for the rest of my life..

So far this year's been an awesome one to catch up with old friends I haven't spoken to, let alone seen in years. I've met atleast five and with each of them, it was just as where we left off
. 

Towards the end of March I started an intership at a used bookstore. It's going smoothly. My boss is all heart :) and I love being surrounded by books. I've come to perceive them as bits of people - a smidgen of their lives, their souls, exposed to the world. I've dived headfirst into social media marketing by creating and handling the store's Facebook page. It grows... slowly but surely. Still got plenn'y learning to do though.

The sister and I hit the stores with sales today. Nothing special really. I loved the visual merchandising in River Island - an artificial tree with shoes suspended from the branches right at the entrance :D Very quaint. But the store we went totally bananas in was Desigual. O. M. G. There were tees and jeans hanging from rods in the ceiling, clothes set out to dry. Super awesome innovative idea. The entire collection is like an explosion of colors - the wackiest harem pants in the craziest combination of rich gorgeous hues.. We usually never waste time in stores that are overpriced, but we saw every single piece that place had to offer.

It was fun hanging out with the sister - despairing over the wretched taste of the designers who came up with the most absurd collections, slurping up frozen yogurt from Ikea, sneaking food into the fitting rooms, falling in love over and over again with the pretty floral print tops that are the rage again as they are every spring..

My dear sweet blog.. my own.. my precious. I've been reading a lot too. One of the benefits of working in a bookstore is that I can borrow anything I like ;) From Archies (my stress buster) to The Pictorial History of the SS. Super innit?

But that in no way means I will isolate you again. I am, and always will be, your beloved

 purple moonbeam

blogger award.. woot woot!!

Behold, my First Ever Blogger Award.

Fancyflea, I thank thee =D 

She's got a Project 365 going on and her pictures are awe-SOME. Yallah, check out her blog The Fancy Flea already!

The Rules laid down, cold and simple:

1. Thank the person who gave you the award and link back to them in your post.

2. Tell us seven things about yourself. 
3. Award 7 recently discovered new bloggers.
4. Contact these bloggers and let them know they've received the award.

7 tidbits you knoweth not of me:

1) The first animated film I remember loving to bits was The Land Before Time. I was four.

2) I'd like to study literature at Oxford. 

3) As a tween, when assigned menial tasks around the house, I'd conjure up something to make the drudgery more tolerable. When I was washing lettuce for the salad, I was Little Foot munching on a Tree Star (you won't get it unless you've seen The Land Before Time), when I was emptying a sachet in a cup of tea, it wasn't sweetener but a sleep inducing drug. Etc.

4) When I'm running late, my mind automatically switches on that rhyme the White Rabbit sings in Disney's Alice in Wonderland -

I'm late, I'm late 

for a very important date.. 

no time to say hello goodbye! 

I'm late! I'm late! I'm late!

I'd sing this often (mentally) when hurrying out of my society to catch a rickshaw.

5) I have an inexplicable fascination for things British (not just the accent) - literature, countryside, manors, the old no longer existing lifestyle, fashion, BBC adaptations of classics.. Maybe it's the 'slave' mentality. I suspect my mother, Enid Blyton and the BBC had more to do with it.

6) My favourite period in history is the Second World War. I love watching movies and reading of people's survival stories during the war, especially the Battle of Britain. How the English coped - their collective determination and iron will through a time like that is truly something to admire and marvel at.

7) My mom encouraged me to keep a diary. She bought me my first one when I was in second grade. It had a name on the binding - Electra, for the girl getting off a green scooter on the front cover. The name stuck.

Now disclosing the new blogs:

The Red Door

My Lens, My Life - With Peace, Love and Nappiness

Booktastic! [my first *unknown* follower :) ]

That's with the newbies. I haven't really come across people new to blogging.
This is where my resourcefulness kicks in. *improvises to continue the list with the newly discovered blogs that are a part of daily reading*

Ice Maiden

Kanwalful Meets World

Random Ponderings of a Smalltown Girl

Travel Babbles

To the award God: Sorry if you think I *broke* the rules. You left me no choice.
To the non-blogging reader: Blogger awards are cool.

adding that personal touch

How'd you like my blog's new get up? =D

After many hours of toil which were spent googling HTML scripts to get around Blogger's absurdly limited style options on its templates, tinkering with font colours, skimming through hundreds of photos, picniking the header (thanks FTLOB!), I finally personalized it. Still not too happy with the background, it's a bit drab for my taste. I'll get around to that later. Like a few months later.

Well? Whatcha think?

dedicated to the first fan.

I started this blog with the intention that I'm doing this to find an outlet for my creativity, to develop my own style so no matter if there are no takers for it. Then, a few minutes back, I saw my first follower. The excitement was too great. Names I shalt not take to protect the privacy of my dear friend. Of course it doesn't help that the follower has had the good sense(not!) to use her own name to sign in. But it also feels good that the unimaginative twat liked what she read :)

How dearly I do love thee, o unimaginative twat! You made my day!