Soul sister

I was beginning to feel light headed. The never-gonna-leave-my-lips smile had announced its dangerous arrival. "She hasn't smiled this way since you left", he said. No one had spelt it out till then, but one look at her and I knew it was true. The music was filling my ears and well, to a large extent my brains! I wanted to sing! I am damn good singer. You can ask anyone who HAS NOT heard me sing!!! People who have will probably tell you something that could collapse the castle I am trying really hard to build!

It was just one of those days when I had to sing (Trust me, those days are not very often! Thankfully!) She held my hand, accompanied me to the mike and stood by my side while I exercised my vocal chords in an inebriated state. She didn't know the song, but she caught up, sang with me, made me feel like a lesser idiot. I guess that's an integral part of being a soul sister. You don't let the other person make a total idiot of herself. You join in!

Vada Pav, chocolate pasteries, paani puri, veg momos - formed an integral part of our date. (not to mention the "magically" acquired bellies and "jodhpuris") The date that we looked forward to after a long day at office. Initial memories of us involve bread omlette, masala dosa, tea, Mc veggies, french fries, costa coffee and chocolate muffins, Thinking about it, food seems to be one thing that always connected us!!! (To a very large extent, it still does!!!)

Walking the Times Square with her in what I was pretty sure was the "Ice age re-visited" marked the high point of a highly eventful year. (try posing for a caricature artist in almost zero temperature with no gloves on. You'll know what end of world feels like!) My end-of-the-world definition turned a new leaf when I was faced with making a decision - save my fingers from falling or ski my ass to glory. The girl in yellow pants took the decision for me. She stayed, I did too! Falling on my bum has never felt better. (I probably will shy away from falling anywhere for this one life time!)

She has always been good at that. Setting the bar really high and "nagging" you till you reach there! Nagger, she is (brownie boy don't be scared! Nagging is always accompanied by an overflow of love, which I am quite sure you'll thrive in!!!) Confidence could as well be her second name. (Having said that, please don't buy the bucketful of shit she's selling you. It's tempting, reaaally tempting, but steer clear!) "I believe in you", she said, "but you need to believe in yourself." The never ending conversations make my ears burn yet listening to every word of a mature granny coming from a hot tiny girl!

You talk about the blizzard in US? Few days back there was a thunderstorm in India, caused by a million heart breaks. Reason - A BIG FAT PUNJABI WEDDING! My girl found her man of dreams and turned their dreams to reality. I couldn't be happier. A dazzling smile found a rightful guardian who I am pretty sure will make the smile last! (Else I kick your ass! )

Life is a bitch, they say. But when life involves long drives, parties, giggling like there's no one watching, head banging on sleazy songs.dancing on even sleazier numbers, talking all night long, throwing tantrums, binging on tea and garlic bread - it just couldn't get any better! My Ms Soul sister is now a Mrs Brownie guy and I really couldn't think of a better match made in heaven! (or well.. in a crowded MNC in my favourite city of all times!)

Again, words don't do justice to what our relation means to me. ( 2 posts dedicated to the same person on my blog goes right into my "blog hall of fame"!) There are very few experiences in life that you remember right to the excruciating details, few relations that you have no expectations coz they are above and beyond human understanding, few memories that can get you out of the dumps with their very glimpse and finally few people who bring all of this together. (Louve, It's time you grab a tissue now!)

Cheers to you new life. Let the memories begin!

2-0-1-3

2:10 am; Sitting in a wooden cabin, surrounded by snow; Far away from home but midst the warmth of a family in a far away land! There you go - Welcome 2013!!! (Ya, we all are alive, the world hasn't ended. Someone was definitely right when they said, mayans ran out of stones leading to their calendar ending in 2012!)

Saying goodbye to the most eventful year of my life takes me on a trip back to the memory lane. A journey from scorching heat in Pondicherry to the beautiful snow in Virginia - a perfect blend of various opportunities, diverse avenues, new places, crazy adventures, intriguing people! (Ya! My life ROCKS!)

The one thing I have really wanted all along, is to travel. Travel as far as there is sky over my head, travel as much as my feet can take. What started as a resolution,eventually turned into a reality. Travel I did. Walking the streets of French colony and basking in the peace of Auroville in Pondi; Fighting the scorching heat of Chennai; Winning over the not-so adamant auto drivers of Hyderabad; Exploring the downtown life of Chicago; Living my childhood dream of visiting Disney Land; Experiencing the magic of a Halloween parade at the Magic Kingdom;Understanding how hyped Statue of Liberty was; Seeing the lights do wonders to the largest Christmas tree I've ever come across at Rockefeller; Walking hand-in-hand with my soul sis on the Times Square; Jumping of a plane in Indianapolis; Almost injuring my knees, skiing in Virginia..pheww.. as you can see its been one hell of a ride!

I have always believed that one can judge the quality of life one leads by the quality of people in their life. I can proudly say, I have a supremely high quality life! Lovely parents, who are determined to master an apple product everyday just to get a glimpse of me (well, to be honest I am almost as technically illiterate as them. Just the genes I guess!!!); super awesome better half who gives me the not-so-gentle push I almost always require; a best friend who redefines focus; a soul sis who's held my hand when I thought there was no one, the only girl I look up to; a foster dad - my partner in crime, my conscience keeper; bunch of hunkie bros who make me feel like a child - happy and protected; bunch of highly tortured girl friends, who I know can live their whole life with some more torture (come on! I know you guys love it! I bring more colors to your well.. lets say already colorful life! *evil grin*). This is my solid support system. This is why I breathe the air I do, the reason for who I am, the reason for me dreaming higher. Making me believe I have all I want, but pushing me to explore newer avenues.

2012 has been the year that witnessed few of my dreams being fulfilled and created new dreams waiting to be lived. A great ending to the best year of my life, marks a new beginning to a new year, challenging it to raise the bar higher. Cheers to the high standards of life, cheers to new dreams, cheers 2013!

Turning 24...

What are the best memories of my birthday's, you ask? Well.. when I was a hundred years younger, I thrived in the glory of growing older, that probably meant I could wear heels, fashionable clothes, you know, the normal stuff! Basking in the attention, distributing chocolates, wearing colorful dresses and laughing at others kids in their uniforms!

You know how time changes things right? Well, I am awesome, but I can't escape time! Last year I crossed an important age milestone (and no it's not 30!). I clearly wasn't thrilled to bits to even thinking of an extra grey hair or god forbid, a WRINKLE! (Does anyone know when they start appearing? Please shoot me a mail with details!) Of course having "well wishers" say, "It's all down hill from now" did not boost my morale either! So as you would have guessed by now, my perceptions have changed. Heels are good, they bring your ass to limelight. But they screw every other ligament and bone in my body, so verdict - not worth it! Fashionable dresses, well I stock up my wardrobe with comfort wear which, well.. how do I put this delicately, which would definitely get me a job of a nanny! And finally chocolates.. any more in my tummy and people would definitely ask me how many babies am I carrying in me! (Yikooos!)

Obsessed as I am, I do tonnes of things to counter evil! For starters, simple steps like not giving my birthday details on FB! But I guess these things have a way of working themselves out. Miraculously I have a hundred "Happy Bday" posts. (Alright I am exaggerating. Lets say 10!) How people remember dates when you take away a most important source of memory, still remains a mystery to me!!!

Few years back, I had a rule. I don't work on birthdays. I like the whole day to myself, with family and friends who matter. Also, spending time with people who are a lot older than I am, gives me a sense of security I cant quite attempt to describe. (If you older ones are reading it, well, I love you guys!!!)

This one was different. In Chicago, far away from people who matter; Chocolate cake, pizza, "I am in Chicago and I am never going back" realization coffee mug and 3 awesome roomies stacked in my room, stirring at every sound in the hall (relax guys, there is no ghost in our apartment, it's just ME); Production issues at work, embracing me in their warmth, phone buzzing with calls missed and messages unattended, meaningless mails waiting to be replied, an impromptu birthday plan for a special person leading to a 3 hour bus delay (inclusive of 1 hour of evading frost bite!), my first snow - guess I am pretty special myself!

So here's to one of the most unconventional bday's of all time and hoping this was the last of its sort! Cheers!


P.S: For those who are interested, I didn't turn 24.. I remained 24 ;)

Free fall!

"Just remember one thing", he said. "If something were to happen to you both, I would still be fine!" Not exactly the most encouraging words to fill your ears 11000 ft above the ground. But hey, life is not all rosey all the time! At times you do have people whispering in your ears that they have no clue what would happen when you are mercilessly thrown out of the plane at spine chilling heights and that its completely fine to crash coz their company would ensure there would be double casualty than single! (And you guys think i am evil???) Sky diving is one mean encounter with nature and man!

Why? Who in their sane minds and jittery back wanna risk their lives in hands of a mad man? Take a deep breath, wait for it, take a bow - I WOULD! Don't have answers to weird questions like why, what and what the.... I am not exactly the most adventurous person walking on God's green earth. But I sure as hell am one crazy thing wanting to experience all there is to experience. The kinds who rather jump off a plane than face a camera for an interview!

I guess it was my karma coming back at me, when I saw my friends with instructors literally badgering their brains with all the information they need and my instructor on the other hand smoking a ciggy and flirting with ladies! (Nopes, I wasn't one of them and me not appealing to him was the last concern in my head back then. Now I can deduce that he was blind!) As I helplessly looked at him from a distance, wondering if he were qualified to be an instructor (his beer belly led to some serious concerns!), hoping against hope that I wasn't a goat he would slaughter to get back at his boss and praying he gave atleast a tiny rats ass to my safety!

The carrier arrived. So did the last minute photographer - sweaty, puffing-panting, tired.. well, not really giving me the most comforting feeling! "I am nervous" he said. "Just what I wanted", my heart thumped. I knew it was gonna be one hell of a ride with all the smart funny asses to give me company! With my right eye blinking, I knew something was gonna go wrong. I don't believe in proving myself wrong! i broke my nail! (Anyone close to me (even in proximity) knows I could kill to maintain my whities!)

Our instructors laid down the set of rules for us. Rule one - Smile. Rule two - Keep smiling. Rule three - Don't know what it is. But its something to do with the safety! No one really concentrates on the third one once your in the air!

For a normal person, these words would be enough to get the hair at the back of your necks stand! But didn't we establish that I am far superior to be addressed as normal??? Broad smile never left my face. On the hindsight, I guess the smile was more like "I am screwed!"

"It is coming", he said. The door opens. I pull down my goggles in the nick of time to ensure my lense doesn't fly away with the hopes of me watching the ground below crystal clear! OMG! This is what God sees everyday. Tiny trees, tiny fields and not one human soul! 

Hang on! I am not ready. I can't freaken do this now. It's too high and we are both fat! We'll hit the ground before your parachute opens.

Of course these were the words in my head. Dancing an evil dance of death. My lips were parched, frozen, open but shut at the same time.

"I am gonna die" I thought, "I know I will. I love you mom. I love you Dad. And babie, you rock my world, love you loooads!" The world stops.Before I get the time to comprehend what hit me, we were off the plane, spinning and rotating like a top caught in a strong gush of wind. All the monacos in my stomach threatened to come out. But hey, I was 11000 ft above the ground. I could do whatever the hell I wanted in the 60 seconds before I fall on the ground and break my skull!

I felt the tap on my shoulders. It was an indication for me to spread my arms and fly like a bird. The first thought in my head. Where the hell is the photographer? I need to smile for my pics! I find a man in black arising from no where. The "woooohooo - girl" takes over. The mojo's and various hand signs are raising their pompous heads against the heavy winds that threaten to deform my raised fingers! I don't care. I need a great pic! My grandchildren need to know their granny was super cool!

60 seconds of free fall and the parachutes are out. One jolt and we ascend quickly towards the heavens. The world stands still. Winds gushing through my ears making way to my brains. Looking at the minion under my feet I felt like an empress! Did you buy that? Dumb heads! I felt caught between the sky and ground, suspended with thin ropes tied to a flimsy peice of sheet which could've been stored in a rat infested place, with a stranger and was making polite conversations to know that we wouldn't find ourselves tangles to a tree on our way down!

"How do you know where you have to land?". My innocent words did stir up pure evil in him. "I have grown up here you know!" he says. I can almost feel him smiling end to end. Apparently some bright yellow numbers on the ground were our landing mark!

 Pressure on my back building, praying hard that my bone doesn't snap! But one look down and another look all around, I knew it was totally worth every breath I had taken!

Some experiences cannot be described in words. Not coz words would not do justice, but coz such words don't find a place in the dictionary! My world may not have changed since the dive, but my perspective in life sure as hell has. The one thing that remains, that has strengthened to the core - If I can do this, there's nothing in the world I can't do! If I can smile through this ordeal, quite frankly there are no situations that can take away the smile from me! I haven't conquered my fear. For all I know, this might have instilled fear of heights in me! But will I do this gain? HELL YEAH!

P.S: Don't tell me sky is the limit, when there are foot steps on the moon!

Place to call my own...

Three weeks, three different places, several goof ups and many of my most embarrassing moments later, here I am - sitting on my swiss gear sleeping bag (result of the last minute rush to the nearest Target store in downtown), on the 34th floor of a building, by the window side over looking a city buzzing with lights. Yo people, the time has come where I can finally call a place MINE!

A little Indian girl battling with 3 larger than life suitcases can cause a lot of commotion. Some of them like a hunk of a beast carrying her heaviest of suitcases without breaking a sweat, are surprisingly welcome! There you go - my home coming!!! One look at him and I know the purpose of me moving in to this new place - WORKING MY ASS OFF IN THE GYM! Did you guys buy that? Well, honestly I wish you did! I have had pizzas as my staple diet for almost over a week now - breakfast, lunch and dinner! (Thanking my stars that Mom is not net savvy and would not be at the receiving end of this post!)

As I look at the lights out side, I feel a strange rush which I can't quite comprehend! Life has been anything but as expected in the past few weeks. Everything that I would have imagined not doing has been done by me! Right from lasting an 18 hours flight without the slightest of urge to throw up to asking people for help for trivial things like using an oven (come on! It's different from the Onida back at home! Cut me some slack!) Any event I would've run away from, has come and slapped me in my face time and again. Getting lost in these never ending similar looking streets is my new way of finding myself! (There you go, I put in some philosophy, but trust me IT SUCKS!)

Smiling has indeed become a part of my nature (not complaining! I love what my smile can do! and not to forget I finally have a dental insurance!!!) I am no longer dumbstruck when I see people running vigorously  with minimal clothing while I shiver in spite of being covered head to toe. Although such athletic nature pokes me in my flab every now and then! I am still humbled to see men holding the doors open for me to pass as opposed to being pushed into space for blocking their path back home! (You know its true! Push and pull is a way of life in India!)

It's been 3 weeks since I left my comfortable life in Bangalore to explore a terrain of uncertainties here. I've yelped at the quality of tea and cried at the thought of eating; lived out of suitcases and roamed around downtown like an abandoned soul. If truth be told, LOVED every part of it. It may not show on my FB display pic, but I sure as hell am having a ball! My words say it all.

I can hear sirens, awakening the dead in the middle of the night. But I know I am safe, I am finally at a place I can call my own.