Travel

2018 saw us on the road so many days so many hours, sometimes multiple days on the same week. Neither did we visit any new place, nor did we attend any interesting event. It was plain responsibilities one after the other.

I should give it to the husband for driving so many hours between Chennai and our hometown relentlessly. Sometimes, I feel so tired about life in general, because it never lets us slow down. At the same time I feel grateful that we have the strength and blessings to handle all of those.

Our first trip of 2019 is actually tomorrow, and as usual its something we have planned at the last minute

This year i am going to keep a track of how many trips we do, so we can take stock of things and assess. Let’s see how it goes.

Books

2018 is the year when my majority of my reading shifted from fiction to non-fiction. When you are surrounded by these awesome book readers in socia.l media, they invariably introduce you to a number of books in different genre.

It easily helps one to diversify their choices of reading.

I read some great books in 2018, which includes, ‘The subtle of not giving a Fcuk’. It was a recommendation from someone whom I look up to. The book gave me a lot of clarity of pursuing what matters to me, approaching people and to avoid over thinking..

The another book which I didn’t get a chance to read yet is ‘Becoming’ by Michelle Obama. This book has been receiving rave reviews from everywhere. I really want to start reading this one ASAP!!

This year one of my goals is to read atleast 30 books, I have arrived at a list of books that I would like to read or re-read which includes Fiction and nonfiction titles in an equal ratio.

When I go on a reading slumber and neglect books for long, i tend to feel my brain has become rusted. Especially the language centre of the brain! I start stammering while speaking, often get a blackout in my mind. When I resume my reading I felt that my brain functions like a well oiled machine.

Given that, i have a lot of stuff to , I want to complete reading as many books as possible. Wish me luck please!!

Do you have a reading goal? Are you an avid reader? Which is that one book that you would recommend to other? Please share your thoughts in the comments section!!

Journals & Nostalgia

I have developed a keen interest over journals in the past two years. In fact, when I think of it, I have always maintained a journal. The first one I remember was at the age of 8 and It was a long size essay notebook of my then previous academic year.

You know, Essay notebooks are so sacred those days, and they are very neatly maintained and always in the custody of the language teachers, throughout the academic year. Just before your final exams, they distribute the notebooks to us. It was always a pride to show off at home, your neat handwritten essays and the ‘Good’, ‘Neat’ remarks by the teachers.

My first journal was made from the unused papers of one such essay notebooks. I remember carefully cutting pictures of all the birds and animals from my favorite weekly children magazine. This weekly ‘Siruvarmalar’ would come every friday along with the newspaper!

I pasted all those pictures and wrote all the details below each picture with different colored sketch pens I owned. That was a prized possession that stayed with me for more than a decade.

And as years rolled by, I always had a notebook to capture my thoughts, doodle around or just scribble sometimes.. My journal in the first year of college was stolen more than a couple of times, to find the whereabouts of my secret boyfriend! Many never believed that I didn’t have one. I was famous for allegedly writing letters to him!
I had found it abandoned and hidden within the trees, above the water cooler, inside the only fridge in the college, etc..

Back then, I didn’t know that it was called a journal. For me, it was all a notebook, which I need not show it to anyone and write to my heart’s content..

Every time there was a deep cleaning / de-cluttering at home, I would find one or the other notebook, start reading and get nostalgic.. Invariably, this scene would end up having my mom giving an earful for not helping her in the process!!

This year, I have invested in a very beautiful, purple colored dot grid journal to intentionally journal most days of the year. I want to stay on top of things and not let go of sanity in the due course. I am hoping this journal would help me with that!!

Exciting 2019

Yayy!!! It’s a fresh new year 2019.. It has always been a ray of hope, always a fresh perspective towards life and of course, a day most of us resolve to do something better, to be a better person!

Looking back, 2018 has been a roller coaster ride for me! I am proud that things made a positive turn in the career front. As of now, it is more challenging, and I have bigger shoes to fill in. Nevertheless, it is all the more exciting and a way more transparent workplace than my previous one!

Family & Personal sides of my life had their own shares of ups and downs. There were days I almost gave up and there were days when I accomplished too many things.

When I think of what I have to achieve in 2019, a lot of things come to my mind. I have arrived at lists of things to accomplish and 2019 looks like a year with a lot of learning to me. I also want to cultivate a few habits, that will make life easier, given that it is going to be busy year!!

With challenges and exciting times ahead, I am stepping into 2019!!

Happy New year Everyone!!

~*~*~*

I am taking part in the beautiful ‘January Blogathon‘. It’s just simple, where we post for all 31 days of January every year. Hoping to complete this Blogathon as planned! Wish me luck please!

Up and running…

To fall sick for a week in the first ten days of a brand new year is something new to me. It also came in as a stark reminder of how badly I am neglecting my emotional, mental and physical well being.

To be specific, I contained myself within the walls of my home almost for the whole year. Occasional business travel happened, but again I chose to remain inside the office contours and my hotel rooms. Staying close to the workplace during those business visits did not help.

I did not read the usual number of books, did not talk to people and I had just let the mundane and monotonous life & job chores to take over my life. When I think of it, this is not my usual self. Until the first half of 2015, I worked for a large MNC and was part of a team that contained 80 members. We also had a counterpart team, that contained ( gasp… 200 + ) members. I was sought after by all the functions within the project. All my days would go talking to numerous people over phone, hustling in the office floor from cabins to seats helping people, resolving issues, coordinating clients , onsite people and what not!

Come June 2015, I switched job to a very small start up ( we were just 15, when I joined) and also I started working from home full time. I am completely devoid of people here. At first, it appeared that I could get done so many things in so little time.  I did not realise I am falling into the eternal black hole of work.

At the start, I had set myself a good routine of evening walks, afternoon nap and  closing work on time to catch up with family time. Soon, I had started this nagging thought of not doing enough, when compared to my previous job. I slowly started slipping from my routine. Soon, I became confined to the walls of my home and the laptop. I started working late nights, started sleeping very less ( like 4 to 5 hrs a day), skipping meals etc.

The first outcome of this is a dip in my productivity & quality of work. Being the lifelong over achiever, I started compensating by putting more hours into work and  by shunning myself away from anything other than work. Slowly I started putting on weight, fell ill more often and was always grumpy.

And to cut long story short, now I have reached the point of bad health and even bad worse emotional state. This week of illness has actually made me realise these mistakes.

Now, I am planning to course correct few of the thing by including more exercise , more people time and also to revisit my hobbies!

So, do you have any tips for me? Have you or anyone you know have similar experiences? How did you or the other person come out of it?

Day 5

Again, a placeholder for Day 5. I am still recovering, but this crazy headache has started paining and my head is throbbing. 

Hoping to write tomorrow!

Day 4

I have been meaning to write about my reading lists here on Day 4 of Blogathon-2017, but being ill doesn’t help it.

So, this is a placeholder for my Day 4 post.

Until then, you can pay a visit to my other posts for blogathon. Or, visit Maya‘s blog to take a look at other awesome bloggers who take part in this Blogathon.

Cia soon!

Lucky Numbers

Yay! This is my third post for Blogathon-2017.

I have been waiting to write this post, just because of the number three. I have designated ‘3’ to be my lucky number, all by myself. I don’t remember the first time this number brought luck to me. Since I was a carefree little girl, I started associating all the lucky charms to this number.

When I am not confident of the output of any action, I rely on this number. Sometimes, the multiples of this number. I know this is little crazy, but this is the way I am. Like, in a multiple choice question, if I don’t know an answer, I would always pick option (3) or option (c). It is my lucky number. I always asked for additional sheets only after 2 people had asked for. Hey , that’s my lucky number.

Always choose the third seat or the third row in buses! I need all the luck to reach the destination in one single living peace. When there are multiple queues, I choose the third one. You know, the third counter in the toll plaza, third ticket counter in Cinemas, etc.

There are few instances where I desperately search for this number. Like , if there is an important event, I start searching for this number. The date, the sum of all digits in the date, sum of all digits with year as a four digit number, sum of all digits with year as two digit number, etc. I only come to peace , if I can relate that event to this number at some point.

There is also a flip-side to this craziness. If there is something that does not go well, I start associating the failure to the absence of this number. Like, if a document approval at work does not go through, it is because it is not the third version that was sent for approval. If we don’t make it to a movie on time, it is because the seats are not booked in the third row / third screen.

Fortunately, I just don’t rely on this number, without making an effort to get things done. It is just a belief that associating this number or its multiples will make me believe in a positive outcome. So, I don’t intend to change this belief anytime soon. It is just a remainder of my childhood stuff, that is still stuff with me!

Do you have any crazy beliefs like this? Come on, Let us hear them out in the comments section.

** You can read my previous posts on Blogathon here. Day-1 and Day-2 **

Parenting – Done right!

Have I introduced you to my kid? No, I don’t think so. So, Meet Mammoo. A terrific 4+ years old, can’t sit still even for a minute. He loves to be surrounded with people and teacher’s pet. Always!

Ever since Mammoo came into our lives, I started equipping myself on parenting. I soaked up whatever information I could lay my hands on. A lot of books, real life advice from people, of course parenting sites, blogs, etc. But, Parenting cannot be learnt from the books. It is an art where you practice and perfect ( err… I don’t even believe in something called as perfect parenting.)

There are few instances where I learn from this boy on parenting.

One day, Mammoo & I were sitting at a dentist’s office reception and it is a long wait. Next to us, is  a family with two adorable little girls. Suddenly Mammoo asked me this.

“Mommy, why is this child wearing nothing over her innerwear?” I was shocked. I did not even know that he has started noticing how others dress. Luckily I managed this.

“Mammoo, we don’t comment on how others dress.”  This boy was not satisfied.

“No, mommy. We should wear a dress over , right?”.

Again, I told him. “No baby. Everyone can dress how they like. We should not comment on it.”

I am not sure, whether he got it or just bored of it. Reluctantly he said, ” Ok mommy.”

I also apologized to the parents.  This incident actually makes me realize the importance of raising boys right. This society is a big influence on them.

We will have to let these little children, especially boys know that societal norms are not always right. I can see an increasing number of parents who encourage girl children to pursue whatever they wish. It is a great change. But personally I feel that there should be an equal or more number of parents who teach boys that the world is a common place for all genders. We should take the responsibility of raising a  generation of men, who take part in baby care, household chores without feeling that they are a rarity in mankind. We should make them understand that there is nothing in the world called as girls job!

As parents to young boys, we have a tougher challenge in the name of society in front of us.  The society will try to pull us down. The friends circle may always make our jobs tougher. The well-meaning relatives may always make a comment when a boy is willing help mom in kitchen. Parenting, when done right, is the only solution to these societal issues. It might take generations to solve these gender stereotypes. But definitely, it starts from home.

Here is to the parents, whose boys will grow up to become men who respect women!

**This is my second post on Blogathon- 2017. You can read my other posts here.

Day 1**

** I am also linking this blog to #MommyTalks by Nabanita Dhar**

 

Happy New Year!

**Yes, the much awaited 2017 has arrived on a great note. We started the year by wishing ‘Happy New year’ in half asleep voices and cuddled back to sleep. Yes, we belong to the non-party species, who would go to sleep by 11:30 in New Year’s eve. **

Well, these are my expectations from 2017. All the forces of universe, please listen , err.. read this carefully and conspire towards making these happen.

1. Be a nice year. Please don’t kill people, don’t damage lives & property in the name of natural disasters.
2. Be exciting. Your sibling 2016 was really boring. 2017, you please bring positive challenges, thrilling adventures in my way. Don’t be a boring snout. Be cool & exciting.
3. Make others feel happy. I don’t really understand why your siblings make thousands of people cry. Try to make others smile, do a good deed, pass on good stuff.
4. Achieve something great. I know almost all your siblings have their fair share of achievements. So, in this aspect follow their footsteps and achieve great things.
5.  Be inclusive. Always.. Be the same to everyone in the universe,  including living & non-living things, good & bad, beautiful & ugly. You are 2017 to everyone, so it is fair to treat everyone the same.
6. Be Positive.  Should I really explain this? Be positive. That’s it.

So, 2017, These are your goals for the next 364 days. After 364 days, I will write a post about how you fared. Good luck to you!!

** Happy New year folks! I am taking part in the Blogathon – 2017 and this is my first post. This will happen till end of January and all you have to do is blog daily. I am looking forward to dish out a post daily and finish this Blogathon in flying colors. Please join in & wish me good luck!**