August Diary

There's always a reason behind everything. I have many behind not blogging in the month of August. Inspite of it being one of the longest months of the year, i was too busy and hassled to even drop in a word. Imagine... how occupied i must have been.

So i am going to pen... rather type... my August Diary in September.

• Work has been defining my life these days. Have been extremely busy with work... so much so that sometimes i feel i am doing a job of four ppl put together. Follow ups, confirming a report, reporting, travelling, special stories, forward planning and day plans and events... god, its been too much. I have fed NewsX so much in last month that i am not only tired of cooking but am sure they have developed an indigestion too. I have had no time to send bills, reimburse my expenses or even take Sundays off. Swine flu deaths, book ban, spurious liquor and poor BJP...

• When i am not working... i am occupied with Amul. His birthday falls in August and we took a three day off to go to POLO forests. Its one of the most beautiful landscape in Gujarat. It was a good break... a much needed one and it couldnt have come at a better time than his birthday. Wont reveal the details too much... but it was high time i put aside work and spent time relaxing... and thats exactly what i did. Packed, took three days off, spent two days in forest, laughed at heart's content, played with Aara and spent three whole days with Amul.... Fabulous is the word.

Amul with a beer on his birthday... what more could he ask for?

Vrushti and Aara... Aara's first holiday

Janki, Amul, Chintan and Arjun... at Vijaynagar Palace... a heritage place where we stayed in Polo

Chintan and Aara... Aara had a blast on this holiday...

Mos and Amul... and the reservoir behind....

• It was a month of return too. Devam is finally back from the US. Though he hasnt turned up home and has a lame excuse for that... i hope i get to see him again. He has bluntly told me how i figure last in his list but in the same sentence assured me that he loves me equally. I dont understand diplomacy and therefore didnt exactly understand what he meant. This month also marked the first anniversary of Vrushti and Chintan's return to India. The biggest differentiator between the last year and this year has been.... Aara... who's growing leaps and bounds everyday.

• Another small yet significant thing about August was festivals. It started with Rakhi. I didnt send any rakhi to my NRI brothers... i was so occupied with work and travel that i didnt find time to send any. But still took two hours out on Rakhi to tie rakhi to a few cousins who live in Ahmedabad... :) i love the tradition of tying a rakhi, exchanging sweets and receiving money as a gift... majja aavi gai. And if Rakhi marked the beginning of the month and was celebrated at my maternal grandpa's house.... the month's end was marked by Ganpati at in-laws. For the first time, i sat in ganpati pooja... prayed to Ganpati to remove obstacles from two ppl's paths... and the most exciting stuff was wearing a sari on the visarjan day... :) looked like an aunty.... :)

So August is over... September arrived with a bang. On the first day, stood four hours in a queue at beauty parlour to book myself for the wedding day. Frustrating, hilarious and a tiresome experience it was. All ladies in Ahmedabad want to get ready at the same parlour.... so they all land up here early in the morning to get an appointment. It was worse than a visa line. After waiting for so long... i finally got an appointment. I havent worked so hard for getting amul as much as i did for get that appointment. But its finally done... Its also a reminder that wedding is just three months away.

The nervousness is creeping in gradually. Amul and i often point out what a relief it is to go back to individual houses every night. We often ponder if we will be able to stay together all the time? But i guess we will know it all in just a matter of few months...

September meanwhile.... is going to be fun. Its Navarati time.... garba, dandiya, late nights and honest ni paubhaji and pulao... :)

But till Navarati begins... its time for me to leave for Kutch... I am going to Lakhpat (the kanyakumari of west) on the border of india and pakistan. Should be fun, hot, tiring and a memorable experience. If its worth writing and sharing... will blog about it when i am back...

Till then... to you all... Happy September!!!

"Happy" New Year

Even before the clock struck 12, I was bombarded with messages wishing me a Happy New Year. Being a Gujarati, I am blessed to celebrate two such new year's every year. So while i was being bombarded with good wishes from every nook and corner of the world... my thoughts went back to the year which was phasing out quietly...

2008, was perhaps, ashamed, on the way it had turned out to be. He quietly was leaving the scene, without making too much noise or attracting attention. It hadnt been a good year. Markets had crashed - the 25000 mark on the sensex now looks like a five year plan. Terror ripped apart our country - like some paper was being shredded in the waste destroying machine. Times had changed - forever - for many of us. My two best friends got married in 2008. Times have changed for our country too - a carefree, progressive nation like our's, which was touted as a country to watch out for - has become the global attraction since 26/11. Politics in India has changed forever - the policies that attended to securing nation's poor - will now shift to protecting nation's urban - considering the recent spat of terror attacks.

Though my life hasnt seen a drastic change in 2008 - i have nonetheless been affected by the changes taking place around me. If i have to look back at 2008, a few prominent landmarks would be that of changing my job ( I left radiocity and moved to NewsX) and that amul and i completed ten years of being together in 2008. (I am glad i can be happy about both) Though the year had its own setback - for the first time in my life, Ahmedabad was targetted. I never thought i would be covering one of the worst bomb blasts in my own city. It was heart wrenching. The Civil Hospital sight has been carved in my memories forever. Everytime i think about it, my heart skips a beat. It was traumatic to say the least.

But as they say that "Change is the only constant thing in life."

I am looking forward to 2009. New year brings new hopes... A lot of us are looking forward to this year with new ambition, new wishes and new experiences. While Chintan-Vrushti are looking forward to becoming parents, Amul - I are looking forward to being married. Devam is looking forward to come back and start afresh in Mumbai and while some other friends are looking forward to pack up from Mumbai and moving back/forward.

When everyone has been forwarding messages and emails, wishing each other - Happy New Year, i thought of doing my own little survey to see - that in gloomy times like these, what makes one happy?? Some very interesting answers came up. I got to conclude that inspite of so many insecurities and expectations around, 'hapiness' doesnt come from accomplishing those 'materialistic' goals... instead, people tell me that its their 'family' that makes them happy. If there's something that gives people peace - its being around their family. "Having home cooked meal", "Seeing my children together at home", "Sleeping in my dad's lap" all turn up in the answers.

While men chose to reply in one words and women were more elaborate about their happiness, the factors or points are same.

People from different age groups, too dont differ much when it comes to deciding what makes them happy. For parents, its their children who are a source of happiness and for children, its spending time with their parents, recollecting old memories and doing things together, that brings them happiness.

And the surprising thing is, while most of us want a hike in our salaries, or a foreign holiday or a new home or a new car, none of these, figured in the list "this makes me happy" at all.

For some, India doing good matters a lot... India facing up to terror and politicians doing their jobs correct will bring them 'happiness'.

"India winning a match." "Playing with my dog." "A hot shower." "A nice song." - are just some of the answers...

Here's the entire list.

Vrushti - The image of my baby playing with Laphroaig and giggling in delight with the sheer exuberance of being alive. (Vrushti is eight months pregnant and she's already a mother to her four month old labrador - Laphroaig, named after her favourite Whiskey Brand); The memories of Chintan and me lying around at home watching movies and drinking wine all sunday in the freezing melbourne winter; Closing my eyes and imagining that i'm cycling along the riverfront by myself - really hard, really fast - racing to beat my own time; Laying my head in dad's lap while he reads the newspaper on a sunday morning and feeling like a child again - totally secure and very loved... (These) things that matter today and will do a hundred years from now.

Chintan - Aara (thats what Vrushti and Chintan plan to name their child if the baby is a daughter), Sex, H*** (Censored on my blog), Laphroaig (He's father to a four month old Labrador), Beer. (Men will be men... :) )

Sujit - Eating at a good place, helping someone to get a job, low real estate rates, branded stuff out at discounted rates. ( Well, Sujit is an exception on the matters of materialism and happiness :) )

Aditya - Pakistan made to suffer; United and neat Politics; US asked not to interfere; Modi for PM's post in next general elections; India continuing to do good in cricket. (Aditya lives in Mumbai and was obviously affected by the recent attack on Mumbai.)

Anuja (Jadu) - India winning a cricket match; War with A****** (Our neighbouring country); Getting over with recession; Good Politicians to rule our country; Upgrading our security system. (Anuja is tired of recession... seems like her shopping trips have been curbed... but what the heck... i too want to get over this insecurity, of whether my next paycheck will come on time or not)

Arjun - Friends, Food, Family, Games - Computer and outdoors, Road trups. (Short and Sweet)

Raksha - A good hair day; A good friend; A good cup of hot tea; Text Twirl on Facebook (now what is that??!!); My monthly paycheck that reminds me that i atleast still have my job. (Now, this is typically Raksha - honest to the core.. :) )

Devam - Meeting loved ones; Looking forward to festivals; Making people around me feel important and happy; Working out in the Gym; Learn something new to forget the crisis time. (Now thats Devam - who gets this huge smile on face, if the audience around him is happy with him... )

Dad - Proper Sleep at proper time; Good Music; Humourous and Positive people; Creative artists and sportsperson; people with vision and determination.

Mom - Having Devam and Mosiqi around me; Both my kids on the dining table; Doing a kind deed; Singing; Praying.

Amul - Mosiqi; Food; Good Weather; Friends; Sleep (He asked me to replace Sleep with Music... )

Mosiqi - When showered with kisses from Amul; Long chats over coffee with Anu and Anuja; Spending time at home with mom, dad and devam around; Celebrating festivals in 360 manner with food, clothes and traditions; Hot shower and a cold coffee. Anyday!!

Here's wishing that each 'source' of happiness for everyone, stays by and stands by them in this new year. Wishing you all a very very "Happy" New Year. :)