2024 - New Horizons

Every year, when I sit down to write my dreams and desires for the new year, I am clueless about how the year will turn out to be. Not this time. It's mid-Feb and I have already made some major life decisions.

I am going to quit my job. A job I have been doing for almost 14 years of my life. I have forgotten how it feels not having to wake up to official work. But I think I am ready for it. The other anticipated change is moving to Scotland for the rest of the year. So far, all I know is that I will be going there. For how many months is still a question. I am good at what I do, I had ample money coming in, a supportive team, and great friends along with the fact that I get to stay in the place I love the most - Bangalore! Then why did I make the premature decision to resign from such a cushy job?

Life may seem perfect from the outside but everybody has their inner demons. I think I was in a rut. I badly needed to shake up things to stop me from dwelling in the past. I love my home, the one I bought and set up with so much pride. However, this house also reminds me of my mom who passed away barely months after moving in. My sister moved to the US and my dad to Mangalore. I feel incredibly lonely at times in this house full of memories of people I love and miss. My husband is in Scotland and having a long-distance relationship is not easy. I want to be with him and have a family of my own even if it is just the two of us.

Wow! That was tough. Moving on to lighter stuff, I completed my A2 course in French on Duolingo!! I have graduated to the B1 level. That's some serious commitment. Now that I have more time on my hands, I want to practice material from other sources apart from Duolingo to make myself much more proficient. One more constant through the years has been my Goodreads Reading Challenge. I have set my target low this year - 15 books. I may read more than that but I don't want to pressurize myself considering everything else that is happening. I also plan to catch up on a lot of sitcoms and movies coz that's what unemployed folks do, right?

I was looking at my blog and, sadly, there are hardly any posts in between the year. It seems more of a to-do list than a bucket of memories. I have several incomplete drafts begging to be posted. I want to be more consistent with my writing. I also want to capture more memories. I have realized that if we make a constant effort to romanticize life, we can manifest it. Fake it till you make it. Of course, it is important to be in touch with reality but there's no harm in creating the life you wish to see. 

I am amused whenever I look at my 2021 Bucket List. It's been 3 years now and it is still not complete. I seem to have added everything under the sun. Surprisingly, an item gets ticked off now and then and ends up making me double happy! I know I have an even bigger list that is ironically named Small Dreams :D And the numerous other challenges that I have taken up. I am happy to let them be. I know I will keep clearing them and coming up with new ones. That's life. There's always something to look forward to. I also intend to focus on my health and appearance. I am not worried about them, I would rather say I am conscious about them. 

It almost feels surreal to think of the future. After three and a half decades of living life a certain way, it truly feels like entering a different era. I want to be hopeful and expectant without any negative connotations weighing me down. Ah, the age of innocence, wish you could come back :) 

2023 - A year to remember

A quick recap of 2023. The year started with a visit to 'Prani' the pet sanctuary. I got to meet several icky reptiles and rodents :P Next came the Enchanta Premier League in which I enrolled myself for Throwball. Our team was the underdog but with sheer grit and hard work, we emerged out the winners!! I have probably not won anything in sports and hence it was a memorable event for me. Meanwhile, at work, some women were coming together to form a Diversity and Inclusion initiative. I was recruited as well. We conducted many activities for which I had to design posters, talk to people and host events. It was the perfect creative outlet for me.

Back in 2022, Ikea opened a store in Bangalore. Somehow I hadn't been able to go there at all. When the bed in my room started making noises resembling ghosts, it led to my first Ikea purchase. I have to admit the new bed is not very sturdy but goes really well with my room's aesthetic. It was Dad's 70th birthday this year. Me and Sis planned a surprise birthday party for him. I invited all his friends and close family. He looked so pleased like a kid. I have been socializing a lot more than usual this year. Met up with friends for lunch, had a team dinner with colleagues I have known for more than a decade, and went to Mangalore plenty of times for baby showers, naming ceremonies and weddings. Also, hosted a cocktail party for the newlyweds like a pro. It was last minute with no prep but I managed to pull it off.

There were three major events this year. The first was a vacation in Europe with my cousins and the second was a vacation with my friends in Malaysia. Both of them were girls only and, needless to say, we had a lot of fun and fantastic memories! I made sure to take as many pictures as possible. The third highlight of the year is that I got married <3 It seems as if R was written in my fate and it was just a matter of time before we got together. We are so perfect for each other. I am currently basking in marital bliss, enjoying the sunshine and hoping it will last forever!

I also tried new air fryer recipes, had some amazing French toast, joined a dance class for a while and welcomed the new year with my favorite people - my Sis and nephew. Overall, it's been a great 2023. And I truly believe, there are only good things to come :)

Feb leads the way

I have decided that my new year will officially start in Feb!

January swooshed by and I barely registered it. Where did all the days go? I did not even make any new year's resolutions. It's only fair that I get one more chance at it. So, here goes. I have read about the concept of having a word of the year. Basically, you are choosing a word that sets your intention for the year. My word of the year is Acceptance. There is no point in questioning the past and wondering what could have been different. Life is a journey meant for experiencing and learning new things. The idea is not to dwell but to move on.

Next up are the usual suspects. I feel immense joy and pride when I think of my French course. I started learning French on Duolingo and never expected to come this far. I recently completed 650 days of the course. I am done with Intro to French and French Foundations 1 and 2. I started French Foundations 3 in Jan. It has a total of 35 units. My plan is to finish at least 3 units per month so that I can ace this level by the year-end. As per tradition, I have signed up for the Goodreads Reading Challenge. However, I have set my goal too low. Only 20 books. I don't want to over-commit and feel pressurized into reading average stuff.

I really want to do the Doodle Challenge. I love drawing small cute images and colouring them. The sketchbooks I own will finally attain salvation through this challenge. I am trying to clean out stuff accumulated over the years. The hoarder in me hates parting with things. But this time, I am just going to Marie-Kondo it. I have learnt to be mindful of the things I buy. Now, it's time to let go. Something else I am aspiring to do is travel. I have been bookmarking so many places on Instagram and Pinterest. I hope to visit at least a few of them.

My iPad has been helping a lot in this regard. I found an adorable planner and I look forward to filling it in every day. This helps me keep track of the things I want to do and need to do. Things like planning my meals. I am trying to eat clean and work out. So, I take a lunch box to work. I have also decided not to eat non-veg on Mondays. This is something my mother stressed on to inculcate discipline and self-control in us.

That's the list. I finally feel at peace. Writing down my vision for the year is a ritual I religiously follow. It pumps me up for the days ahead. Now that the plan is here, time to get cracking.

Hello 2023!

The first week of the New Year is already done. Time to reminiscence and simultaneously plan for the days ahead.

The highlight of last year is me meeting my darling nephew A. I went saat samundar paar to the USA and had the most wonderful time there. I also tried Froyo for the first time. I am not very fond of yoghurt but froyo actually tasted good! My friends also planned a short trip to Kodaikanal after learning that I had never been there. I couldn't get enough of the chilly mornings and scenic views. My sister is in India for the holiday season. We had to travel to Chennai for their visa stamping. We went to Mahabalipuram for a day. The sculptures there are beautiful. I would love to revisit it someday.

Back home, I really wanted to change the home decor a bit. Give it that cute and cosy vibe. I love plants and flowers around the house and bought a number of them. But I am also a responsible plant parent and have been taking care of them quite well with my dad's help. I also got a swing hung on our balcony. It's my favourite part of the house now <3 And am overjoyed that it's A's fav place too. The aesthetics are not the only upgrade in my house though. Without planning to, I ended up buying an Air fryer, a washing machine, a Robo vacuum cleaner and an AC. I have to admit these things make life so much easier. I love deep-fried stuff but the thought of all that oil turns me off. But with the air fryer, the guilt reduces drastically. Similarly, the vacuum cleaner has helped me avoid the maid during the week guaranteeing calm mornings. I have avoided the AC for the longest time but gave in because of the fluctuations in the Bangalore weather.

Talking about gadgets, I have landed the lottery with Apple goods. My uncle gifted me the iPhone 13 Pro Max and the Apple Watch Series 7. My sister gifted me Airpods Pro 2nd Gen and the iPad Air 5th Gen. I feel a bit sheepish saying I bought the Apple Pencil 2nd Gen which is the least valued item here. But it is what it is. I was never an Apple fan. In my defence, I will just say "If you can't beat them, join them". I was also gifted a Coach bag by the uncle who planned the New York trip. Both my high-end bags - MK and Coach were gifted by him. I also received a surprise Secret Santa gift from my colleague at work. It was totally unexpected and left me with a warm and fuzzy feeling. I feel blessed and grateful to have such wonderful people around me, both family and friends.

I am just going to skim over the last few things, not because they are insignificant. Writing about them will need posts of their own. One of my favourite cousins got married last year and it was a full-on Bollywood-style wedding! On the heels of it came the Rajyotsava celebrations in our apartment. I was a part of the Treasure Hunt Organization team and also the MC for the evening where we had Prof. Krishne Gowda as the chief guest. A couple of years back, I was gifted ICICI bank cards worth 15k. They had expired during the COVID situation. After a lot of follow-ups, we were finally able to get new cards issued. Ever since the COVID scare passed, we have been asked to report to work every day. The long commute made me take to Audiobooks. I have been able to meet my Goodreads challenge only because of listening to books during the cab ride.

Finally, the best news of the year. I have started driving independently!! Woohooo!! Years after getting my license and free taunts from almost everybody I know, here I am zipping around the city in a four-wheeler. Every day, I appreciate it better.

So that's a wrap on my 2022. Looking forward to an amazing 2023!

One Country One Dish Challenge

I started cooking few years back. It was occasional and only when something caught my fancy. When I lost my mom, it came upon me to cook for my father. He loves traditional dishes which were a challenge to me. Not because they are difficult. It's just that these recipes are not written down anywhere. The jumbled instructions and vague measurements threw me off. I fell back to the tried and tested recipes that my mom had taught me.

As I gained confidence, I started trying out new dishes. Turns out am not a bad cook after all. I mean, I didn't burn down the kitchen. That counts as something right? So now, I have decided to take a up a new challenge. Yayyyyyy! I think am in love with these zebra striped tables and the challenges are just an excuse :P Anyhow, I am going to try cooking one dish from each country. That's almost 200 dishes. But I have a whole life ahead of me, at least long enough to cook two ton dishes I hope. We already have a head start. Check it out.

One Country One Dish (5/192)

	Country	Cuisine	Dish
	India	Breakfast	Masala Dosa
	Lebanon	Dessert	Knafeh
	Turkey	Snack	Pide
	Japan	Lunch	Bento box
	United States of America	Dessert	Boston Cream Cookie Cups

Party in the USA

After one whole year, I could finally travel to the US and see my nephew. It was his first birthday, and I was thrilled that I could make it. He was sleeping when I reached my sister's place. The photos and videos are absolutely deceptive. He looked so tiny in person. When he woke up, I was cautious not to get too close and alarm him. However, he came right into my arms <3 No tantrums, no hang-ups. My life felt truly complete holding this little bundle of joy. My sister had selected 'The Lion King' as the theme for his birthday. We had brainstormed so many ideas over the past few months. I still couldn't believe I was actually there helping her with all the decorations. My brother-in-law got a lovely cake. They had ordered Indian food from a restaurant called 'Aahaar' and it was delicious!

I did not get used to the Michigan cold at all. I was eternally covered in sweaters and socks. However, my sister and BIL took me to all places possible. Since my sister couldn't accompany me at all times due to the baby, I would often go shopping alone. It was kind of fun. I switched off from work completely and tried to enjoy my vacation as much as I could. 
On weekends, we would go downtown or visit family and friends. My sister and I would shop in the malls while playing hide and seek with my nephew who was on BIL's watch. We visited a German settlement and it brought back wonderful memories of the time we spent together in Germany. On weekdays, when the weather was kind, we would visit the lake just behind their house.

It had already stopped snowing during my visit and I was kind of disappointed. To my surprise, on the last week of my stay there, it started snowing! The whole place was covered by a thick blanket of snow. I was finally able to tick off my bucket list item by playing to my heart's content in the snow. Dare I say that it may have snowed just for me because by evening, the snow had started melting and the next day there was no trace of it! And you think am joking when I say am God's favourite child :D

The days passed quickly playing with my cutie pie, annoying him, pampering him, and giving all my love to him. It was time to fly back. My return was booked via New York. And out of nowhere, Akka and I got a day to ourselves thanks to this wonderful uncle of ours who planned a city tour of NYC just for us. She flew with me to NY where we watched a Broadway Musical called 'The Music Man' featuring Hugh Jackman!! We then took a rickshaw ride to Times Square which is always buzzing with energy. We had dinner at Priyanka Chopra's famous restaurant 'Sona'. Finally, we rode the limo to the airport!! I have to go crazy with the exclamation marks because that's a lot of name-dropping. This has been the most extravagant day of my life I guess!

And that's how I was able to visit the US once more before my visa expires. I will always cherish this trip because I was seeing my sister and BIL after a tumultuous two years. I met my darling nephew for the first time and spent quality time with him. And I had one of the most exciting days of my life in NYC.

Bake the world a better place

The love for cooking runs in our family, especially on my dad's side. But when a dish turns out pleasing to the tongue and to the eye, it's a whole new level of joy. That's why I love making desserts. Desserts have a lot more scope for beautification. I still remember me and my sister trying to bake brownies in our microwave. We were in school then and we had managed to melt the brownie dish. Lol! Nevertheless, I did not lose hope. I moved on to baking cakes in the microwave and successfully managed to send it to the repair shop twice!!

After a lot of trial and error, I realised that I was following the recipe to the T but I wasn't using the right tools. When I completed ten years of service in my company, I was given a cash voucher. I decided to gift myself a proper oven. It has been a game-changer. I have been baking cakes, muffins, brownies and savoury dishes too. And they turn out so good every time. Over time, I invested in cake pans, spatulas, silicone moulds. I even bought flavouring agents and colours. It makes baking super fun.

But my dream of making aesthetic looking dishes is far from reality. It takes a lot of practice and I am not able to devote that kind of time to it. I hate wastage. Putting the frosting in a bag and not being able to use it to the last bit is sure to keep me up at night. However, I am not hanging up my apron so soon. I will continue practising and am certain that I will bake that elusive, pretty looking cake one day.