Too much excitement!

I guess the excitement of potentially being in Australia soon and the comfort of an empty office in end December is all too much positive energy for my body to take. I'm down with a bad attack of viral flu 3 days before we head to Chennai for the Christmas weekend. Sad Sad!!!

Australia!!

After my depressing last post, I've realized that for far too long, I've held off on making interesting plans in life to accomodate events that may or may not occur. That, and the fact that P's stupid company has a pro rated system of leave which leaves us completely unable to take long holidays as often as I would like.

However, in the spirit of moving away from this sad sad way of waiting to exhale, I've gone ahead and planned a trip to Australia for the upcoming holidays. To ensure I don't take away from leave I may need for other commitments, I'm only taking 3 days off in a week where 2 are already off - giving me a grand total of 9 days with only 3 days away from work. Australia suits this purpose nicely, being a 7.5 hour flight away (not too much time spent on the journey) and being a destination we've wanted to travel to for a while now.

Also being the meticulous scenario planner (read obsessive compulsive freak) that I am, I've made sure all flight and hotel bookings are either fully refundable OR likely to occur minimal cancellation charges. It's taken a lot of effort at this last minute to beat the Chinese New Year exodus to decent hotels and flights, esp. given all the above constraints, but the net result is me feeling utterly chuffed at doing it all in 1 day.

And now that it's all planned and done, I'm realizing how badly I've craved a holiday that's longer than a long weekend. Just the thought of an impending trip to a new country, new things to see and do, long drives lounging in the front seat next to P (I don't drive just yet) makes me so intensely happy. YAYYYYY!!!!!

why I haven't had coffee breaks with anyone outside the 3-4 regulars.

Because I cannot answer the simple question "how are things?" without lying.

Dark circles, recurring backaches, rare nights of continuous sleep and incredible hair loss. Classic symptoms of stress, anyone? welcome to my life in the last 2 years.

Published with Blogger-droid v2.0.1

One day I'll simply give up ...

...it's just that... today isn't that day.

Hope > Cynicism still.

What a good week looks like

Monday to Friday

- 80% of working team out travelling.

- Related to the above, unlimited seating. No need to be in at 8 am to get a half decent seat.

- Having the time to wrap up pending work peacefully. No interruptions or silly demands on one's time.

- Incredible P in the kitchen who does the chopping and cleaning for dinner everyday. I just have to be creative with menu, manage assembly and overall CPS so dinner prep takes <30 minutes. It's like an episode of "chopped" in here some days. <3 it.

Saturday

- 8 hours of sleep. Good sleep.

- Waking up to 25 degrees celsius weather. I love Singapore in what is freeze-your-ass winter in the rest of the world.

- Heading out to eat breakfast. 2 dosas + 1 chai = heaven on a rainy morning. (or any morning, for that matter)

- Coming back home to P who has already done 2 rounds of laundry in the meanwhile, dried out wet clothes, folded up dry ones and tidied up the place in general. <3!

- Having P take care of lunch as I skype with my very excited parents who visit me in 2 weeks!

- Studying for an upcoming driving theory test as V&D camp out at home and play songs from Rockstar. Analysis of the music ensues, where P hints at a heavy 70's rock influence on this album. The rest of us simply nod given how little we know about rock in general.

- Watching Rockstar. Although I don't understand or empathize with self destructive angst (any other angst is ok, you see) I do like the movie in parts. Does anyone notice, however, that with the exception of Kareena Kapoor in Jab we Met, Imtiaz Ali has a bad record with picking heroines for his movies?

Deepika and her weird accent in Love Aaj Kal killed us enough, and now this girl Nargis Fakhri who makes us want to jump off a cliff each time she tries to emote. Aiyo why?!

- Staying in on a Saturday evening doing serious work like good students. I haven't done this in almost 7 years now, but I realize that 15 years of being a nerd cannot be beat by 7 years of no exams. No sir, it cannot.

All in all, this already looks like a good weekend. All that remains is to get myself a massage appointment tomorrow and prepare the back for the week ahead. Ah, happy happy.

all is well?

Much more now than ever in the last month. Work shows signs of calming down, I get a new person on my team which should stop making me and my people do the work of 4 people. I've stopped worrying about helping people struggling with babies or finding work. I've cut down on socializing unless absolutely important esp doing things that mess with my system. Late nights, alcohol are under control and I'm back to running. Determined to wrap up the basic spanish, learn driving and swimming very soon.
I've come to realize more than ever before that I really lucked out with this marriage thing. Finding a feminist among men is tough enough, finding one to marry was just sheer luck. *kaala teeka*
And for now, hosting one of my dearest friends is keeping me oblivious to the world and happy.
What else can a regular person ask for?

Ps- to everyone who wrote in a kind word after that overwhelming last post, thanks. :-)

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.8

my 5 roles

Have exploded into about a thousand right now.

Work takes so much out of me already. Mom is being diagnosed with illnesses, not incurable or major but worrying nevertheless.

Father to have knee surgery.

P unhappy with job.

Brother confused about moving to the us for studies.

Friends getting married and my inability to make it.

Other friends who I love and am not able to catch often enough even on phone.

Self which craves exercise, experiments in cooking and time to just be.

Kids at work who have gone and enrolled a clueless me as mentor + my eagerness to make time food them (cause man, no one deserves to go through shit and not get some help on how to cope)

Friends who are struggling with babies.

Friends struggling to find jobs.

My own people who deserve a fantastic manager.

I need to stop trying to fix the bloody world. Now.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.8

risotto is a tricky dish

Simply because it usually tastes so refined and blah that it tastes of nothing at all. I recall with horror this one time that p and I were at this fancy ass restaurant that had only vegetarian item on their menu - risotto. And such pathetic risotto it was that not even the chefs assurance that it was al dente not uncooked (as I insisted it was) could make me feel better about the crappy excuse for a meal.

Risottos are a source of repeated disappointment to me. With the exception of the amazing pesto based risotto I had with Andrea at the restaurant overlooking tianemen square, risotto has always been like the boyfriend who keeps convincing you he deserves a second chance only to disappoint you further.

Eventually, taking matters into my own hands has seemed like the only viable solution and I've been on the lookout for a brilliant risotto recipe. I made one up today. With a base of pumpkin puree and basil, a topping of crisp stir fried onions, garlic and pumpkin seeds and a dash of balsamic reduction and parmesan I just experienced risotto heaven and risotto experienced a redemption like never before.

I really must do more with this cooking thing. Hmmmmm.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.8

an interesting week

I spent 2 days getting trained to be good at my job and the 2 days after that recovering from a viral flu at home. I was asked to stay away from people so I wouldn't infect them which meant utter boredom siting alone at home and inability to share a room with p even when he was at home.
Now I know I should have been sleeping from all the medication, but the fact that our indie movie is getting so much attention and publicity meant I was incredibly excited. Too excited, as it turns out, to be able to sleep. But what the hell! This kind of thing (association with a project like this) happens all too rarely and as someone who has worked very hard to ensure maximum publicity for the movie, I bloody well intend to enjoy it while it lasts.

So that was the week in q nutshell. I'm better now and back to work, but the buzz of excitement is still in my head.

Check out our movie - www.mausams.com

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.8

the best weekend so far

This weekend was the best I've seen in this year. Mausams, our indie movie premiered to much appreciation. And india won the cricket world cup after 28 years! The last time was in 1983 when I was a thumb sucking baby who probably didn't realize the magnitude of the event. Now I'm old enough to have my own baby. And boy did I register the win! Sunday was the chillest weekend of this year, giving me the time to bask in some rare bout of optimism that p was experiencing wrt to his life situation.

All in all, a good weekend that I wouldn't mind more siblings of.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.7

isnt it disgusting

When people decide to have long conversations in the office loo? In the cubicle right next to yours, that too.
Never in a million years would I have imagined that folks at work are SO busy the only time they get to talk to their family and friends is during pee breaks.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.7

my 1st time at mango

Being the most useless shopper in the world, I usually buy things for myself only when Mogambo pays me a visit or if incredible inspiration strikes. After months of ignoring a wardrobe that has not one decent tee, I decided I couldn't wait anymore. In raffles city mall to drop off some mausams brochures, I shopped. And my 1st ever mango tee is coming home with me. That and the running shorts I've needed for a while. Yay!

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.7

band baaja baraat

Was a pretty nice movie. Just like everyone promised it would be.

I miss watching movies in a theater. Must. Do. More.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.7

streaks of color

Should show up in my hair about 2 hours from now. I'm at the salon and originally came here for a simple hair cut. Suddenly the fact that I turn 30 in 3 months and have never experimented with my hair stared me in the face. So I'm getting highlights. Brown ones I.e.

Yes. Highlights are the pinnacle of adventure as far as my staid approach to hair is concerned. No need to judge.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.7

sometimes falling ill is the only way for the body to recover

After that bad ass attack yesterday, I decided to skip work and handle important stuff from home. Already I've rested well and gotten all my doc appointments sorted, called the landlord who wants us to leave in 2 months, cleaned out the fridge, done laundry and made good progress on publicity for our upcoming movie. While getting some work work done as well.
My boss was right. Sometimes putting a distance between the self and the workplace is the only way to stay sane.

Speaking of bosses, I've got to pause here and thank the universe for giving me some of the best bosses over the last 6 years. The latest is a cricket and simplicity fanatic whose best advice to me has been - never panic and if you do, never pass it on to your people. Good man, this.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.7

to years of good health

Its been increasingly rare sine I hit 26 to go through a year without the allergies haunting me. Last year ie 2010 was one of those. I figured out I was allergic to dust mites and roaches and did my best to chop off the problem at its root. And it worked.

Although the last few months were just as good, something has gone terribly wrong over the last 3 weeks. My attacks are back with a vengeance and I don't know why.

Heres hoping I can find the cause and kill it before it kills my joy. Bah.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.7

the kids are alright

Was one of the best movies I've seen in a very long time. Mellow, yet quirky. Undramatic yet interesting.

As an aside, I just downloaded a blogger app on my android phone. Hopefully this means ill blog more often? Like when on the bus to work etc. Lets see.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.7

Food.

As I examined how I've changed over the last few years, 2 things stand out in my mind. My obsession with food, flavors and cooking and my obsession with a healthy life.

There's something about creating the right combination of herbs and spices that makes life worth looking forward to. On days that i'm supremely angry with life or stuck in a moment (and can't get out of it), creating recipes inside my head is what comes to my rescue. And with the oven that some friends gave me for my wedding, I've managed to take what was merely an interest to something of a creative expression. I'm loving it.

And then there's the almost paradoxical love of good health /a fit body. I was lucky enough to have high metabolism and the ability to shake off any calories with incredible ease. Until I turned 28 or 29. And then the kilos started to pile on without me knowing of their existence.

But jeans and sari blouses never lie. It's only when some of my old blouses turned into a snug fit that I realized I'd started to put on weight. It's barely anything because I stand at a good 5'9"and my height masks most of it. Plus I was fairly skinny earlier. So it didn't seem to get any attention. From anyone else, that is.

But, from the moment I realized I've started to put on weight, I've been on the healthiest food regimen my body has ever seen in the last 30 or so years. I've incorporated more fiber into my food, cut out the carbs, started exercising well and cutting out desserts - a tough feat with my sweet tooth. And weirdly enough, my body responds when I treat it well.

My need for fitness borders on an obsession that only P seems to share. In some sense, I'm lucky to live with someone who has the most will power I've ever seen in anyone as far as food is concerned.

It's tough to empathize with - this obsession with health, I know. But without my knowing it, food and it's almost polar opposite (control over what I eat) have both come to define the person I am today.

My subconscious is smarter than me. Help!

Have you ever been in this situation where you're trying to solve a problem: You know it's tough. You're really not sure how to crack the code. It's not the same as situations where you know the answer is right there on the tip of your brain (like words on the tip of your tongue, no?). Those are different. This is when you think there's really nothing for you to do or say, and the deadline's looming closer than ever. And magically, suddenly, your subconscious takes charge and swoops in on the solution. Suddenly it's all crystal clear and what could have turned into a panic attack has suddenly become a zen like solution through a seemingly unsolvable problem.

This happens to me way too often. Especially over the last few years that I've been with P&G. (Sometimes I wonder if it's my 1st boss who did this to me. Made me smarter without me realizing it.) It didn't occur to me until I was in my 2nd year, working away close to a deadline and just about to give up when the answer came to me almost as if on a platter.

It shocked me, the magic of it all. Thereon I started to panic a little less each time I encountered a problem and a deadline together. I kept my calm and stayed patiently on the problem. And my subconscious has never deserted me. Through problematic business situations and people situations, somehow, it always comes to my rescue when I've given up at a conscious level.

Does this happen to anyone else?