Book Review - You Raise Me Up

Author – Arjun Hemmady

Publisher – Leadstart

Genre – Fiction

Pages – 363

Price - Rs. 325

Sneak Preview from the cover

Aalok Sharma, a 27-year old chartered accountant, meets the vivacious and beautiful Priyanka Mehra, on a flight from Delhi to Mumbai. They are instantly attracted to each other, though completely opposition nature. However, something is holding Aalok back. Will this thing throw a spanner in their love story? Or will he be able to overcome his demons

First Impressions

A confused guy lost in the thoughts of a girl on the cover gets the readers guessing. Is he smitten by this girl? Is she the cause of the troubled expression? Even the title couldn't provide any direction. With mixed thoughts (I avoid reading the summary on the back cover, for its fun trying to make wild guesses by merely looking at the book cover), I knew the only option was to get reading.

My view

When the author of a romantic fiction mentions he has never been any relationship, or worse still; has never ever read a romantic novel, the reader gets skeptical. It's like writing a book on medicine without having any knowledge of the trade! I wondered why was the author risking his debut with an absolutely unknown genre. Either he put this disclaimer to reassure his parents, or was weaving a story based on his perceptions (sounds too risky); for it is tough to write about relationships without having experienced even one! 

But, sometimes writing without pre conceived notions help provide a fresh outlook to an otherwise predictable story.

When the story begins with a shy and simple Aalok meeting a confident and extrovert Priyanka on a flight, I could instantly make out that the author was not lying in his introduction. The way Priyanka started the conversation with Aalok was a bit hard to chew.  Right at beginning of the story itself, I got a favour of Delhi v/s Mumbai (Aalok was from Mumbai while Priyanka from Delhi). 

Also, I didn't know one could identify a CA, if a person is silent and carries Economic Times in his bag! Oh! I love reading debuts and the fearless experimentations and expressions! 

Aalok's character is well shaped up throughout the book. Intelligent, sincere, sensitive, caring, loving, he has all the qualities a girl looks for in her ideal man. When it comes to giving freedom in his relationships, Aalok goes a bit too far; which is why one finds him dominated by women throughout the story. However, it is Priyanka who often surprises the readers with her unexpected moves. On one hand, while on the flight, she made a bold first move at Aalok, in the scene that immediately follows, she tries to portray herself as the conservative and reserved girl from another city.

But, this is just the trailer. There are many surprises from Priyanka's end for the readers. 

When Priyanka discovers there is no reservation for her in the hotel, she offered to spend a night at Aalok's house. I mean, weren't there any other hotels in the town? And one remembers that just 2 pages back, madam expressed her concern about travelling alone with a stranger.

But some people are in fact like that - unpredictable, spontaneous and straight forward. As one moves forward, Priyanka's actions continue to surprise. She gallops her way into Aalok's life and often, the reader suspects her actions as calculated moved towards something dangerous. As Aalok's sister once mentions, Priyanka surely is a drama queen!

Aalok though, almost reminded me of the Shahid Kapur of "Jab We Met"

Just when one starts enjoying the funny incidents in Aalok and Priyanka's cute love story comes a twist in the tale. Aalok has a past which holds him back to take things forward with Priyanka, who by now is head over heels with him. Worse, Aalok conceals from Priyanka the fact that he was once married. And thus begins the long flashback of Aalok's past, Tanvi his first love, their triumphs and failures.

It is here that the story falls prey to drags. What seems like a small flashback just refuses to get over. By the time one is through reading about Aalok's bitter experiences with his first marriage, the tired mind says "Priyanka who? What was she doing when we read about her last?" Finally, when the readers get a hang of what's going on, one finds Aalok stuck between his first love Tanvi, and Priyanka who gave Aalok a fresh lease of life when his life had lost its meaning.

But life still goes on. And when one reads the last page, there is a smile of appreciation both for Aalok and the author - Aalok, for being level headed and sticking to his strong value system even in times of strong emotional dilemma; the author for giving an ending that is uninfluenced by what usually sells. 

Another character that is shaped up beautifully is Aalok's sister Isha. She is the kid sister every brother would love to have - loving, caring, protective, intelligent. In her the naive Aalok finds the perfect friend, philosopher and guide. 

The author with his straight forwardness has a lot of potential and perhaps with a bit more reading of the romance genre, the next book will surely rock! If you are good with skimming, you will find the book a quick and enjoyable read. I would recommend the book for it's fresh outlook towards relationships.

My rating - 2.25/5

What I loved 

• The narrative is funny and characters well shaped up, especially Aalok and Isha. Isha the mischievous yet sensible kid sister beautifully compliments the honest, sincere and straight forward Aalok.

• The story strikes a chord with the youth with the excitement and challenges of love usually faced in relationships.

• The book gives a very strong message against alcoholism and how badly it can corrode one's life.

What could have been better

• The narrative about Aalok's past drags badly and the reader is forced to skim through to know what finally happens in his present. A little scissor work on the elaborate dialogues would have helped.

• When you are writing your debut, typos and grammatical errors can be such a spoilsport. Pg 154 (Do you what they'll start thinking?; Pg 204 (Hey about we have a cup of coffee); pg 220 (Do you What? This guy is so good)

This review is a part of the biggest Book Review Program for Indian Bloggers. Participate now to get free books!

The joy of being a yummy mummy

When lines bring smiles

and weight gain seems worthwhile

swelling tummy signals the happiness to come

Ah! There's no bigger joy than being a mom

Motherhood is the best gift a woman gets from nature. The nine months of pregnancy are not only crucial to the development of the little life inside, but also for the mom to be. For, a woman discovers a new side of her and her relationships when she is expecting. Coping up with physical and hormonal changes does sound taxing, however all the troubles are forgotten the moment she holds her little one for the first time.

Towards the end of my first trimester, we had a ethnic dress code in office one day for an event. It was a time when morning sickness, weakness and mood swings had me at my irritated best. My hubby however, was highly patient and supportive. He motivated me to wear a saree he had bought recently for me. So, on the day of the event, I dressed up in a lovely Pochampally. As I was telling my sister about the celebrations in office, she commented, "yeah enjoy the sarees till the baby arrives, for the stretch marks and the odd blouse sizes will keep you away from them post delivery." Her comment had me shocked, for this aspect of pregnancy was not something I had anticipated while planning a baby.

That evening, while changing clothes I noticed two red lines on my tummy. Initially, I ignored them however, after 2-3 days when the lines refused to leave my tummy, I saw my worst fears coming alive. This was the trailer and stretch marks were a few weeks away!

When I asked my mom in law about it, she said motherhood comes with its own set of return gifts like stretch marks, pigmentation, itchiness, weight gain that made one feel inhibited. In the old times, an expecting mother was given a long list of Do' and don't's, as if pregnancy came with a user manual. Poor thing was so lost in following the umpteen guidelines that she couldn't even enjoy her pregnancy and always felt conscious of the changes inside her.

But, Hey! Pregnancy is not a disease! In fact, it is that time in a woman's life when she gets to enjoy extra care from her loved ones, have that much deserved me time, focus on herself for a change and just relax without feeling guilty of pending To Do's.

Being a woman of today, I knew no notion or inhibition could keep me away from enjoying my pregnancy. So, no matter who advised what, I decided to believe just two persons - my gynaec and my instincts.  With a little extra precautions and the right knowledge, I made my pregnancy an enjoyable experience that I will always cherish with a smile.

You are pregnant, stay at home now!

I am a woman of today who knows how to take care of herself. I vacationed during my pregnancy and it was one of the most chilled out vacations I ever had.

Vacationing with a glow in my 2nd trimester

Be sanskari and conceal the bump with a dupatta!

Hello! My bump is a matter of pride, not something to feel shy of. After all, the beautiful life inside the big belly was to give me the best status ever, of being a mom! Every morning, I used to scan myself in the mirror for any visible signs of the bump, and when it came, I went crazy buying maternity wear that beautifully flaunted my curves and the baby bump!

With Pigmentation and stretch marks, you will no longer look same!

This one initially had me stressed. But when my gynaec soon made my stress disappear. At her advise, I started using Bio Oil during the first trimester itself and trust me, it was an advice that helped me remain a yummy mummy with barely visible marks. The right diet, yoga, good genes and a stress free environment created by my family kept pigmentation far away.

So, the saree is still my best friend!

Eat for two, even if it means looking like two post delivery

No matter what the relatives and aunties said, I followed my gynaec's advise of focusing on quality instead of quantity. Following a healthy diet not only kept me illness free during pregnancy, but was also the secret behind my baby glow!

Pregnancy also got me to discover a funny fact about men (husbands)! No matter how silly, unorganised and careless we wives call them, fatherhood reveals the responsible, caring and loving side of them that as a wife we just miss. Knowing it was tough for me to stay away from junk food, my hubby too gave up junk and gave me company in my healthy food throughout the pregnancy!

"When there is a will, there is a way." Pregnancy does come with its own set of challenges. But with the right support, attitude and determination, every mummy can be a yummy mummy!

I’m writing about my wonderful journey of pregnancy for the #YummyMummy blogging activity at BlogAdda in association with Marico Bio Oil

Why Mother's Day no longer haunts me...

For the past five years, I dreaded this day of the year. When the whole world went gaga updating their selfies with moms on social media, I preferred being unsocial on Mother's day. No outdoors, no social media, no calls, no people. While solitary confinement would be too strong a word to describe my day, I came a tad close by hiding under my shell.

Five years ago, I too used to celebrate this day like most people of my age. Mother's Day meant writing a poem each year for mom, which would get Ganga Jamuna flowing from her eyes; cooking something special for mom, which made her proud and feel sad at the same time thinking her little daughter was fast growing up. While she was at our service 24X7, 365 days of the year, Mother's Day was a good excuse to convince her for the faciaI that was subject to her endless procrastinating. Life was full of happiness and security, for mom shielded me like an umbrella and kept me safe.

Then one day, a storm came and blew my umbrella away. Just like that, God decided to have my mom's company in heaven. The meaning of Mother's Day changed overnight. From a day of celebrations, it became a day that reminded me of the void in my life. Social media played the biggest spoilsport. When I saw friends updating their status and uploading pics with their mom, my vision blurred with tears. "Why God chose to take away MY mom?" I kept asking myself! The answer is still pending when I have a tete a tete with the almighty someday. 

The more I tried to run away, the more it chased me. When my hubby's siblings dropped in to convey my mom in law Mother's Day wishes, I swallowed a lump in my throat. While I would be all smiles in front of them, to not spoil their day, I would sneak out to some moments of solitude and memories.

My sisters were still lucky. They had their own kids to the fill the void created by mom's absence. Theirs were the only calls I received, and they always told me to remember the good times and cherish the moments I got to spend with mom. 

Last year's Mother's Day however, was different. I was in the 8th month of my pregnancy and when my sister called me and asked, "So, do you feel something different this Mother's Day?" I was quick to say, "Yeah, A Hell Lot Of Kicks!!!"

"The glass is half full" mom often said. 

This year, Mother's Day finds its place back in my life. I am a mother to a 10 month old angel, who is the Sun of my solar system. Though he is too small to even understand the meaning of Mother, he definitely is a master at expressing affection; especially when he wants to go out for a walk! 

Whether mom is back or not, I don't know. But motherhood surely is back in my life, and in a beautiful new Avtar. I will continue to miss mom each day, each moment. However, the journey as a mother gives me a chance to live my mom's life and try to fill her great shoes.

My Mother's Day gift? What better than waking up to my 10 month old kicking me and saying "Umumumum....mumummah"

L : Lost : A to Z Challenge

Thinking of letter L, I was feeling somewhat lost, for I wanted to refrain from taking up the very popular Love. 

Have you ever been lost?

Well, most of us feel lost when we find ourselves back to our office desks on Monday mornings, don't we? But, I am asking about actually being lost.

How does it feel to be lost in a crowd?

We were vacationing in Orissa. I must have been around 7 back then. That afternoon is still as afresh in my mind as impressions on sand. After hours of playtime with waves, it was time to shower and change. Mom took me and my sis to the shower rooms while Dad and big bro preferred to laze out under the sun. Once I was done, mom asked me to wait while she and my sis got ready. But I was just too naughty to wait. So I told her that like a good gal, I will walk out straight to Dad and brother and wait with them. Since they were just outside the shower rooms on the beach, mom readily agreed and asked me to go straight to dad.

But if children did everything as instructed by elders, we wouldn't have childhood stories!

I was addicted to collecting sea shells. The moment I walked out, I began my treasure hunting and stuffed the findings in my pockets. So focussed I was that I even missed spotting Dad sitting nearby and instead walked away, building my treasure. After a while, when my legs cried of fatigue and pockets of being overstuffed, I suddenly noticed the noises of children playing had faded. When I looked up, the coastline was heading for a curve. 

That's when it hit me. In the age of no mobile phones and navigation, I was lost on the sea beach!

I felt a sudden burst of heat behind my ears. But, I had no time for fear.  So I did the next best possible thing - About turn. 

Suddenly, the treasure in my pockets became excess baggage and I offloaded some as I struggled to keep pace. I was scanning each face on the beach, but couldn't spot the ones I was looking for.

I had heard horror stories of goons kidnapping lost kids and forcing them into begging, so I controlled my tears. 

By then, my family too had discovered I was missing and search operation was at full swing. While mom was hysterical, my elder sister with her presence of mind intact was scanning every nook and corner. But it wasn't a market with defined boundaries. It was a huge coastline!

I guess, God is very kind and pardons us for our mistakes. That afternoon, God pardoned me for not obeying my mom's instructions. My sister, with her 6/6 vision, fortunately recognised my frock from faraway, which almost appeared to her like a dot. The next moment, she was running non stop to chase that dot.

Just when tears were about to overpower my courage, I saw my sister running towards me. We had a typical Bollywood reunion as we hugged each other and I broke down. That day, she was nothing less than God for me, for had she not spotted me, perhaps I wouldn't be writing this blog. 

Have you ever been lost?

This post is written for the A to Z Challenge.

Can We Bubble Wrap Their Childhood?

This was published in Parentous

The other day, Mr. Hubby & I were having a small tiff on the safety features of S’s pram. I had carefully scrutinized and chosen a pram which seemed safe enough with its sidebars cushioned. However, little S’s enhanced sense of mischief had found a bar on the back side to bang his head against. Before I knew it, Mr. Hubby had bubble wrapped all possible open metallic surfaces of the pram. It now looked like a new pram straight out of the showroom, all bubble wrapped.

That’s when the thought struck my mind, “Can we bubble wrap their childhood?”

Parenting is a situation nothing can prepare one for, except parenting itself! During my pregnancy, we used to visit the children’s park every evening and spend some time looking at the kids playing. As we looked at the kids joyously playing with sand, we made tall claims of not pampering our child with unnecessary luxuries and trying to keep him/her close to the nature. We had spent a childhood climbing and falling from trees, playing outdoors in extreme weather and we wanted our child to be as rough and tough as us.

Ironically, the very claims we made with much confidence, vanished into thin air as soon as I delivered little S! Continue reading...

Of Needles And Overcoming Fears

(This was published in Parentous)

Throughout my growing years, I teased my mom for one thing – whenever I would fall sick or be in pain, she would start crying. I remember once when a dog had bit me, on our way to the hospital, mom was crying more than me. She had heard how painful anti rabies injection was and she was scared about how I would tolerate the pain. As I joked that she looked more like the patient than me, she said, “You will understand my pain when you become a mother.”

Mom left me few years ago, but her words have echoed in my mind several times ever since I became a mother…

After my delivery, when my intravenous cannula was removed, I rejoiced thinking, “The pain is over!” Little did I know a new challenge awaited me – of witnessing my baby in pain during vaccination!

As the date for the next monthly vaccination drew near, anxiety gripped me...

The initial mandatory vaccines were administered by the pediatrician while I was still bed ridden. But, as the date for the next monthly vaccination drew near, anxiety gripped me. The mere thought of the needle pricking my baby’s soft skin and the imaginary sight of my little angel wincing in pain gave me goose bumps.

Continue Reading…

Basant Panchmi & School Memories

Like all new moms, I too have lost track of how days become weeks, and weeks months. When a festival is around the corner, my elder sister or my MIL act as reminders, suggesting the bare minimum rituals I should follow.

This morning, as sonny boy and I went to the park for our daily dose of Vitamin D, I was delighted to see a burst of yellow. Women dressed in yellow, yellow flowers shouting to be picked up at flowers, the familiar freshness in the air and Pandal with Ma Saraswati idol in the colony school – I didn’t take a moment to realize Basant Panchmi – Saraswati Puja is here!

While my family doesn’t practice any ritual as such, apart from wearing yellow and preparing sweet yellow pulav, Basant Panchmi occupies a very special place in my heart. Having spent 12 years in a Bengali dominated school; the festival has been a special occasion each year. After all, this was the only day in the year when we could wear the dress of our choice to school instead of the boring uniform! Unlike most kids who save the best dress for birthdays, girls in my school dressed their best on Basant Panchmi. The three day long celebrations provided us the much awaited break from classes, freedom to dress up as we liked, lot of fun, amazing Bengali sweets and bhog, and much needed blessings from Ma Saraswati before the final exams would haunt us!

A Day Before

A day before the festival, all eyes would be trained towards the school gate as we waited for Ma Saraswati idol to arrive. The moment we saw the tempo, we would leave everything and rush to the foyer. The entire school echoed with “Bolo bolo Saraswati Mai ki Jai” as we welcomed the goddess with flowers, songs and impromptu dance!

The festival

For us, this was the day of freedom, fun and festivities! Our usually over protective parents gave us the luxury of giving the school bus a miss. Instead, we girls took our sweet time to dress up our best and arrived at the school on our own, in groups. The security situation wasn’t as sorry as present, so the authorities let open the gates of the senior wings and one could enter and leave school premises at our own wish. For teenagers of a girl’s school, this was nothing short of living the college dream once a year! The senior girls would seize the opportunity to flaunt the best sarees and imitation jewellery, even as the eyes of senior teachers scrutinized the depth of their blouses! Best part would be the Pushpanjali time, when each one of us would pray to Ma for good marks and a bright career! Sounds of “Bolo bolo Saraswati Mai ki Jai” would fill the ramparts as those who waited for their turn took to dancing and singing! Wish we had mobile phones with cameras back then! The alumni also took this occasion to take blessings from Ma and thank teachers for shaping up their careers so well.

Morning gave way to the noon in no time and the aroma from the makeshift kitchen in the classroom signalled that the Bhog was ready. Our teachers displayed their culinary skills as they pampered us with the most delicious Bhog – the traditional Khichuri! After Bhog, we would dash to grab our boxes of Prasad which contained an assortment of the best Bengali sweets one could think of! 

Awwww! I miss my school!

As we progressed to senior classes, the later part of the noon became hangout time with friends at Connaught Place before we returned home.

Visarjan

This was a moment that came heavy on our hearts as the thoughts of Ma parting left us teary eyed. Moments after the tempo left the school premises, taking Ma away, we would keep looking at the gate with gloom. Then the teachers would lovingly ask us to return to our classes and be good students till Ma returned next year.

More than a decade after leaving school and more than a thousand kilometres away from school now, I still feel the fragrance of flowers and incense sticks afresh in my mind. As I recall those wonder years, I pray Ma Saraswati for blessing my little one with knowledge and creativity the way she has been generous to me.

To, the Goddess, the mother, and the power – Bolo bolo Saraswati mai ki Jai !!!

Sharing few pics of my visit to the Alma mater few years ago 

My Alma Mater

The Decor

Ma Saraswati

The lovely rangoli

Flowers in full bloom

Friends

Friends

The funny case of the LOVE-ly email

Ours was an arranged marriage. Unlike majority of my friends who boasted of love marriages, their “I Do” stories and lot of PDA (Public display of affection), mine was a rather shy affair. The only aspect I could boast of was that unlike poles attract, for we were poles apart yet we felt the sparks enough to say yes after just half an hour of meeting! Like most arranged Big Fat Indian weddings of our times, our “I Do” was a rather shy moment in front of our families. As for PDA, well before we could even break the ice, we were married, almost like a miracle!

So here we were, a newly married couple, trying our level best to know each other and bridge the gap between those unlike poles. As a new bride, I was in the “impress your hubby” mode, whether by whipping up lip smacking meals, dressing to kill, or charming him by my creative attributes.

One morning, sitting on my desk and sipping on my morning cuppa, my mind threw an amazing idea of impressing my cute, lovely and shy hubby. I used to send a Good Morning mail with an inspiring thought to my team, few friends, boss and super boss every morning. As I was drafting the Good morning mail that day, I thought, “Why not add HIM to the mailing list?” I knew he was the intellectual types. So, with all good intentions of impressing my hubby and starting his day on a beautiful note, I marked him too in the mail and hit the “Send” button.

Within seconds, I started receiving the usual replies of appreciation and Good morning wishes from my colleagues. But my eyes were desperately looking for this one name in my inbox, while my fingers promptly kept hitting the refresh button. “Would he have liked it, or thought it as yet another forward mail in his inbox?” I was curious to know the reaction.

My wait was short lived, for after few minutes, my eyes finally spotted what they had been looking for. It was a reply from him. He had loved the mail and replied, “Loved it baby, just like your cozy cuddle this morning!”

But, before I could even recover from recalling that morning “moment” we had, I was disturbed by a “Hmmm…cozy cuddle” from the next workstation! I was awakened with a start. Was someone peeping into my PC? No.

A moment later, my eyes went wide with shock looking at the mail, as if they had witnessed the sun rising from the west!

My loving hubby, impressed by my gesture didn’t waste much time in seizing this moment of praising his wife. However, it so happened that in a hurry to shower his love, he selected “Reply All” option instead of “Reply”

The rest, as you can all guess is indeed a memorable moment of my life!

His debut attempt at PDA was read by my friends, team, my boss and to my horror, even my super boss! As I saw my friends share naughty smiles and girls say “Aww, so romantic”, I felt like forcing my tomato red face into the PC screen. A moment later, my mobile flashed with his number. The poor thing had realized his mistake and apparently tried to recall the mail. But the arrow had already left the bow!

After a moment of silence on both the sides, suddenly both of us shared a laugh!

He - It just happened, I swear!

Me -Yeah, I could make that out

He – They must be teasing you na!

Me – Hmmmm (Going super conscious with all eyes on me)…they find it too romantic (almost whispering)!

He – But I loved it!

Me – What? (Whispering, with my face going cherry red by now)

He – Your morning cuddle, and oh, uh, the morning thought as well!

Me – Well, what was the thought by the way?

He – Ummmmmm

And we both burst out laughing!

The ice was melting faster than we had expected. A true soulmate is the one with whom we can share a good laugh, I had heard. This funny PDA moment proved it as well!

“This post is a part of #LoveAndLaughter activity at BlogAdda in association with Caratlane.”

5 lessons only motherhood could have taught me

(This was published in Parentous )

The inspiration for this post came few days ago after a telephonic conversation with my mom in law. As I was discussing my daily challenges faced while managing the baby and the hacks I have developed, she chuckled and said, “I am very impressed with you and your little one. I am glad he has been able to teach you overnight, what I had been trying for 6 years!”

My initial reaction was a mix of shock, anger and confusion, for I didn’t know whether to take it as a mere compliment or a backhanded compliment. Since I have a great rapport with her, I dismissed the latter option however, it was too thought provoking a remark to be forgotten.

And so, I began to think what is it that motherhood teaches us, that nobody else can –

Priorities and altruism

Being the youngest of four children in my family, altruism was always a distant concept. My wishes would literally get fulfilled before I even completed the sentence and the whole family doted on me. Since I was the first daughter in law of the family, the trend continued after wedding as well, as everyone showered me with gifts and attention. There are things I could never have compromised on – sleep, my blogging time, that favourite TV show and even my favourite dish. Many people close to me have been victims of my ire the few times they mistakenly disturbed me in the middle of writing a post.

However, the baby changed it all overnight!...Continue Reading

How I made travel fun and safe during pregnancy

There’s a famous quote “The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page.” True to these words, my hubby and I are passionate about travelling. Be it a long weekend or festive offs, we are off the beaten road, exploring new destinations. Road trips give us that adrenaline rush, Delhi-Mumbai and Delhi-Kedarnath base camp being some of our memorable road trips.

But what happens when an avid traveller is kept away from her passion? Well, she feels like a sick person. Exactly that’s how I felt when I became pregnant. We had recently relocated from Delhi to Mumbai and had not spared even a single long weekend to explore the lovely getaways around Mumbai. However, the moment I made that call to my parents and in laws to give the good news, the first advice, rather order from them was, “Now apply brakes on your travel and relax at home for nine months.” Relax at home! But setting out off the beaten path was our way of relaxing, away from the maddening rush of the city!

Did pregnancy stop me from enjoying travel? The answer is a big NO! Pregnancy is not a disease. I did two solo air travels during pregnancy – first, shortly after I discovered I had conceived, and the second in 7^th month.

Like a good girl, I obeyed my doctor and elders and avoided road trips till I completed the first trimester. The severe morning sickness was also a big factor keeping me away from travel. However, the situation improved by the time I hit the second trimester. Morning sickness was gone and I regained my energy levels. Hubby and I were craving to travel. We knew once the third trimester would begin, we wouldn’t be able to hit the road for a long time, and then we wouldn’t be able to travel with an infant that comfortably. So, towards the end of my second trimester, we cashed on a long weekend and went for a memorable Babymoon! Not for a second did pregnancy come in the way of enjoying my trip, thanks to few basic rules I followed. I am sure these tips will come handy to all my expecting friends who love to travel!...Continue Reading

Evergreen New Year Resolutions

I’m the most disappointing person when it comes to New Year resolutions and fulfilling them. Often when I am asked about my New Year resolution, my prolonged thinking mode & silence turns people away. Saves me the torture! If you were to ask me if I have ever made a New Year resolution and fulfilled it…you will be bored to death waiting for an answer.

It’s not that I never made resolutions. My childhood that fortunately was free of the World Wide Web and mobile technology saw us exchanging handmade New Year greeting cards (Buying expensive cards from Archie's Gallery were reserved for Birthdays and special occasions). Making New Year resolutions then was as important a ritual as exchanging cards. If you didn’t make a resolution, your celebration didn’t go complete.

So I too gave in to the trend and made these same funny resolutions every year –

• Losing weight –This one placed itself on priority every year. After all, have you ever met a girl who feels she has the ideal weight? However, success or failure of this resolution was relative. If the girl sitting next to me in class was heavier than me, it felt like resolution achieved at the beginning of the academic year itself. But if my desk partner turned out to be a hot chic, the resolution always felt broken. By the time New Year’s Eve came back, knocking on the door, I was already in the SWOT mode and always felt I needed to lose weight.
• Getting first position in all sections – This was my parents’ all time favorite. Typical Indian parents keep pushing their child for more, even if their offspring is a child prodigy. Even if I ranked within the top three in my class, I always saw a “You could have done better” look while I knew friends whose parents pampered them even if they scored just above 80%. The only time I felt like a scholar was when I used to go to Nirula’s to show my Report card and enjoy the free Scholar’s double Sundae! (Nirula’s used to offer free special Sundae to kids who scored 90% or more in their final exams!) Looking back now, I realize this was a blessing in disguise, for if you aim for moon, at least you get the stars. But back then, the pressure ensured this resolution was scripted at the top in my copy on every New Year’s Eve.

As I look at them now, I laugh out loud! If they weren’t fulfilled the first year, why did I hope for magical results every year?

With time, the resolutions changed from everything one desires during adolescence to the ambitious 20s. By the time I was into 4-5 years of corporate grind, I saw myself making resolutions like “meditating for 15 min every day, spending less time on phone etc.” Soon I was married and resolutions changed to “calling mom everyday for 15-20 minutes.”

Things I was supposed to do immediately were transformed into resolutions, whose progress one usually monitors by the time it’s time to make new ones.

And then, blogging happened…

I had gone for a residential MBA post marriage when blogging & I discovered each other. It was love at first sight and soon we couldn’t spend nights apart. Contests were a new thing to me back then and participating in any and every contest sounded exciting to me. Seeing my name in the winners list gave me a high that even a good CGPA didn’t.

The momentum broke once I returned home. Job, home and responsibilities jumped the line and claimed priority attention. Writing for contests then usually meant fire fighting few hours before the deadline for submission. As for impromptu blogging ideas, I began to maintain a Word document and whenever an idea popped, I promptly noted it in that document.

Soon motherhood took over every other thing. Contest deadlines were missed, word document was filled never to be reviewed, and the blogger inside grew tired of complaining. Even if the deadline was comfortably far, creativity would have mercy on me only a day before submission deadline.

Few days ago, I missed writing for a contest that really interested me and it hurt, not because of the prizes, but for the opportunity it gave me to test my writing skills vis a vis hundreds of other blogger.

So, this New Year’s Eve, I resolved to do something for the stuff that’s so close to my heart.  

• Writing for contest posts well ahead of time. I know my mind throws fabulous ideas a night before the deadline, but nobody has banned drafting a post and saving in drafts, well before deadline to be modified later.

• Also, I intend to work on the frequency of posting. An average blogger who posts periodically is far better than an amazingly creative blogger who plays the hide and seek. I know it won’t be easy but as Mr. Hubby tells me every time, there is always time for what we really wanna do!

P.S.  Somehow I have come to realize that often, the toughest or next to impossible tasks are dumped under the cover of New Year resolutions…As if, poor New Year will give in to pressure of our dreams and aspirations and magically transform the impossible into possible. My sympathies with the New Year!

 

#NewYear #Resolutions #Humor