On failure..

As part of the marathon blogging effort this month - I had to write one post every day .. And I managed to - for 12 days - but what happens on day thirteen? I slip. I feel miserable. If what I want to do in my life is to write for a living I need to keep deadlines.
But enough of self pity and flagellation :/ I'm picking up from where I'd left off - because giving up forever was never the plan !
How is it going for you all.. What are the resolutions and challenges that you are fighting to keep up with ?

When we fall

Like she did today ...

There you are, going about your own business, doing the things that you are supposed to be, worrying about trivialities - and your child falls.

There is something second splitting about watching your child fall or get hurt. Everything is in slow motion and unfurls frame by frame. And yet your feet do not move fast enough. And then there is that sickening thud when there is impact .

In retrospect you wonder if you froze for an extra instant. Couldn't you have been faster. Was it your fault that it happened in the first place? Were you not supposed to be more vigilant to start with?

Where are the answers when one needs them? Where is the reassurance when the pain that your child bears crushes you with guilt? What do you do when you know that you have failed without even having tried too. But most of all why does it hurt more in your heart than it possibly could have hurt your bruised child?

What I would like for X-mas

A world without stereotypes :)

Gifts that are not pink

Toys that do not scream dress up and coy

Stories that are not about happily ever after

And treasures that ARE thoughtful and interesting instead

Of a lazy lump and a Lit fest..

So the weekend before the big event (Ya,ya..the fun fair!) and all I wanted to do was to curl up under a blankie and sleep. But what do we have instead? PLANS. Suddenly in my usually go-with-the-flow pace of my life there were plans.

My in-laws are here and they really wanted to visit the Mount Mary church in Bandra. Saturday morning was fixed for the excursion - and since the TOI lit-fest is happening in Bandra, I made hopeful noises about attending a session or two after church. It helped that two authors whom I've read and sort of admire ( Suketu Mehta & Katherine Boo) were doing a session together.

So we all went up to Bandra and visited the church. After which we made a pit stop at Candies which really did me in. The stuporous travel, followed by the soporific lunch made me want to do just one thing - go back right where I belonged - under the blankie! Yes ..:(

Instead, what I had was an enthusiastic bunch egging me to go to the lit-fest. 

'You already are in Bandra. All you need to do is walk in to Mehboob studios' 

'But I need to use the Loo!'

'I am sure there are loos around this part of town'

'But how will I get back? I don't know this part of town'

'How long have you lived in Bombay? You can always ask. We will send the car back' (Also hinted: How old are you exactly?)

'I don't want to go alone'

'Do you want me to come with you?' (This from the husband - who errrm does not really make a great lit-fest partner..sorry A)

Anyways, the majority won and I was left huffing and puffing along with the artsy crowds (what is it with lit-fest and fab-india kurtas and kohl-lined eyes and wooden beads and unmade hair?) . Anyways, I luckily found myself a companion after a very frantic whatsapp session. I got a seat in the front row!! (Yay!) Managed to do some celeb type spotting (Kiran Desai, Nandita Das and of course the aforementioned speakers) and finally felt my apprehensions melting away as the session progressed..

And for that I need to thank the husband, the parents and of course the kidlet - I think I had forgotten how it feels like to have some time of unbridled enjoyment not festered with guilt! I sort of liked doing this - and be prepared A - next time you may not have to try so hard to convince me ;)

Blast from the Past!

This post is part of the 'Marathon Bloggers' challenge that I am doing this month! The themed post for this week is 'Blast from the Past'. You need to be glad that I did not find the picture that I had actually wanted to post about - it would've been one weepy washy tale ;)

Instead I give to you : The fried fish from Namma Bengaluru!

Alright - jokes apart - that is me standing in the back. And the sweet lady who is seated is my first ever Boss! Yes, you guessed it - my first job! My first gig after doing the all important MBA, landing a job in a land far away from home and even living all by myself!

Though I do look like fried fish ( I did go through a no-makeup phase, eh?) there is a reason why I like this picture - and if you haven't noticed - I am THIN!! And I am wearing WHITE pants! I had forgotten  that I ever owned a pair in that colour - let alone merrily wore it to work! 

I also like the picture a bit because of the T-shirt I am wearing - it was partly designed (ok, only the words on it were) by me - and it was not the only one created. It was part of the merchandise that we had made for a play we had done at MICA (my alma mater).

But mostly I like the picture because it reminds me of youth, of new beginnings, of the sweet promise of tomorrow, of a new phase of independence and responsibility that was just taking off...

100 cupcakes to X-mas..

..really, don't ask..
 
two words

FUN FAIR

in my daughters school!

What do I have to do, in this parent sponsored jamboree?

Image : cutefoodforkids.com

1. Bake a 100 cupcakes - ice them in a X-masy theme - pack them in individual packages.

2. Be 'Props in-charge' for a puppet show. Have you seen puppets. How tall are they? What do you think their shoe size is? Do you know a clever way of converting 'sexy-suzy' teacher puppet into old graying 'aunty-carol' puppet?

Image : allthingschristmas.com

3. Buy christmas decorations for a classroom the size of an average Bombay living room - not bad you say. Now hand me a budget of 1000 Rupees. Oh wait, don't smudge your manicure (of how many rupees?) while you are handing me that note ? :/

4. Buy raffle tickets. Sell raffle tickets. And how will a raffle ever be one without your generous contribution to the raffle prizes? What did I hear you say ? A lose-lose situation? Close.

5. Wear a two-sizes too small T-shirt in a dried puke hue which screams out to the world that you are 'Super Mom'. If that doesn't do it for you - heaven knows what will.









Disclaimer : This is a totally fictional post. All rants and complaints are of an imaginative nature. I am of course a very happy to help, Bree incarnate, Mom-in-chief! 

Home Improvement..

Ok..let me begin by saying that I am not one of those eternally arty and crafty people. And this is not to say that I do not admire people who are! On the contrary, I perk up at the sight of a beautifully done up house, or corner, or store, or anything. I lurk around on decor and interiors websites which give me an instant pick-me-up! It is a dichotomy in my personality that I find most difficult to reconcile (Which basically means I can sit in the middle of what essentially is a pigsty and drool-drool-drool at pictures of stunningly done up spaces or art projects!).

Why am I going on about this you ask? Because, I just got over with a mini home-improvement project just about an hour back. This involved mostly added shelving and juggling around of a few fittings. And I am exhausted. And - the house looks even more chaotic than it was before..hmmm! How do these guys who do it so well, and make it look as simple as a-1-a-2-a-3..do it?

Image Courtesy : Design Sponge

Image Courtesy : housedecorationx.blogspot.in

Well, since I am still trying to figure that one out and simultaneously looking at pictures of what I would like my workspace to look like...I've decided to share some inspiring home office pictures with you all.

Most of these pictures have a white accent - but unfortunately my workspace is cream and brown! But oh - I love these home offices - don't you ?

Image courtesy : cbc.ca

Image courstesy : housetohome.co.uk