I did it:)

I detested driving till thursday, loved it on friday and hated it again on saturday. I cried saturday evening cause i dint want to drive in Mumbai. The heat, the stress, the honks and the idiots who curse a woman driver were getting on my nerves already after one week of driving on the mumbai streets.

I got my license in 2002 august. Since i got my license, i never drove. Till this summer, where i decided its high time i got over my fear.So got a driver and have been driving all over Mumbai since last sunday. The best drive so far was friday morning when i drove to marine drive. I love that place. Driving there is heaven. But saturday's drive, thats yesterday's wasnt so good again and it killed my morale.

So after crying for a long time yesterday about not wanting to drive and wondering if id ever overcome this irrational fear i sat and spoke to my folks. I told dad i couldnt drive and i was mortally afraid of killing someone or banging into another car. And then he and mom said something to me which changed my whole perspective. They both said, that driving is a skill that would always be useful in future. If i decide to settle down in Mumbai or abroad, driving would get me places and a skill learnt never goes waste. Dad said, that if im lucky enough to have a car for myself and am at an age where i can master the skill, why shouldnt i make most of this chance?

I realised then, that i had to come over my fear. Had to over come it and drive my mom to work today morning. So this sunday morning, i took my driver for a drive from 6.30 to 8.30 am to mulund and chembur and drove in heavy traffic without killing a soul or bumping the car anywhere. Came home, picked up mom and dropped her to college too. Am taking my cousin for her bday lunch too this afternoon to shivaji park and im sure its going to be a good drive.

Dad's thrilled today morning and mom was so proud of telling her colleagues that her daughter drove her to work today:) Made my day to see her smile. Im so glad i have parents like these, who encourage their kid to such an extent that you suddenly feel like you have all the confidence in the world. I enjoyed driving today.

For the first time in a week, i loved the drive. The breeze on my face and bryan adams on radio just made me forget any fear i had whatsoever. I think im going to get more pampered now, considering ill just take my car and drive rather than take the public transport:) But i doubt that might happen, cause i love the mumbai buses and trains so i guess ill have to just have a healthy balance between the two:)

It feels good to have overcome one more hurdle in my life, which i never thought i would overcome. I achieved it and yes i still hate the traffic and the honks but my curses of "bum" and "pig" surprise the male drivers to such an extent that they automatically slow down!!he he:)
So as long as the bums and pigs work, driving is good:)

These are a few of my favourite things...

A close friend of mine, having tried this on his blog suggested I list 10 of my favourite things too on my blog. So these are a few of my favourite things..:) Thanks to him, I smiled all day through..:)

# I love the smell of freshly baked chocolate cookies. Anything freshly baked for that matter. The smell of European bakeries at 6 am in the morning will always be cherished.

# I love the smell of the first rain on the mud. Petrichor..its heaven. Love getting wet in the rain, splashing water, lying on my bed and watching every rain drop fall from the sky and sitting home on a rainy day and sipping coffee is awesome too. Love water basically. Swimming is just too much fun.

# Love the movie Notting Hill. No clue why I love it so much, but ive probably seen it over 20 times and still can every time it’s on TV. Love the painting by Chagall too in the movie..“It feels like how being in love should be. Floating through a dark blue sky. With a goat playing the violin. Happiness isn't happiness without a violin-playing goat.”

# Love going shopping with my sister. She's so patient and has an awesome choice. We can shop for hours without getting tired:)

# Love Blue Berry Cheese Cake. I’d die if Oven Fresh or Lemon Grass ever stopped serving it!!!

# Love the nature. Go for a walk every evening to this one small temple near where I stay and its bliss. The noise and pollution do get on my nerves sometimes, but the walks worth it. Normally have a friend accompanying me, and we always sit in the temple for 20 min in complete silence and then leave. We are not religious, just the silence in the temple keeps you so calm, its unbelievable.

# I love my cat. Yes, his name’s curly and he’s adorable. He’ll listen to any nonsense I talk and come every morning and wake me up by touching his small wet nose to mine. The morning just seems so wonderful when I see him crawled up upon me, with a look in his eyes saying..pls wake up?:)

# Love reading poetry and literature. Byron, Tara Patel, Eunice D’souza, Mamta Kalia, W.H.Auden & Jane Austen are some of my favourites.

# Love sitting at Toto’s or Mondy’s on any evening and having a drink. Its crazy, the energy that surrounds you, the wild music.. it’s a break from your normal mundane life.Although Toto’s doesn’t play music anymore:(

# Love going for a drive as long as I don’t have to drive:) most memorable drive has been when a friend took me all the way to Bachelors in town on new years to eat my favourite fresh strawberry with cream at 1.30am:)!!Ya, I love that too:) he he.

Ive realized, 3 of the 10 of my most favourite things are sweets!!!Hehe I do have a bad sweet tooth:) but I really love them!!!10 was too little, I love so many more things..but these are most loved I think..have a great weekend everyone..:)

For my sister...

My friends call me a princess and insist that I am a very pampered child. Well, I agree. Can’t really complain if I am loved so much, can I? Well, one person who has been my support system throughout my life & has pampered me to no end is my sister. People who know my sister & me, will know how close we are and what a bonding we share. My sister is 4.5 yrs elder to me. Has been an achiever all her life and made us all proud when she won the gold medal in literature at the Mumbai University some year’s back. She loves theatre and reading is her passion. She can’t live without books & enjoys rock music too. She is a very ‘cool’ sister:). Till a few years back, we were not as close as we are today. Only when I went on a scholarship to Germany in 2001-02 did I realize, how much I missed her. Guess, distance made the heart grow fonder..:)

We became closer that year and before I knew she had gotten a scholarship from the Mumbai University to come to Germany for 3 months that same year. Yay! I was thrilled. She came & lived with both my host families & I lived with her in her apartment in north Germany as well. We even did a trip to Belgium together and it was fantastic. I think that was the moment when we both became very close and I missed her terribly when she returned back to India in Dec 2001. I came back in June 2002 and after that she’s been there every single time I needed her.

She knows me as well as I know myself. She buys me gifts every week on an average & never loses the opportunity to tell me how nice I am looking on a particular evening. She has spent nights sitting next to me, taking care of me when I’ve been sick(which has been very often!!) and she’s even cooked for me when mom & dad have been out of town. When we were kids, she has taken my share of beatings from mom and has been the most protective sister ever.

The past four year’s have been the best of my life. We live together in a flat of our own with our pet cat Curly.We have long chats that go into the early mornings and laze around all day in bed on Sundays too. We’ve watched tonnes of movies together at the theatre, which is at the corner of my street, and we can both shop for hours together without getting bored. We party like there is no tomorrow and have taken care of each other when we have been drunk as well. And I’m going to have to let her go now.

She gets married this August 26th and shifts to Dubai with my jiju. And im going to miss her like crazy. She is currently holidaying in USA and I’ve been living alone for a month now & it’s driven me crazy already. I miss making her bed for her and curse myself for all the times I shouted at her cause she never made her bed. I miss her shouting at me and then hugging me and saying sorry. I miss fighting with her, beating her and then sitting & laughing till our tummies hurt. I miss cooking her favourite potato chips for her and making pizza that she loves too. I miss talking to her a lot and I can’t believe I’ve got to get used to this life style very soon. Im going to have to let her go and be happy myself and for her as well. And the more i think of it, the more difficult it gets. Sometimes, its impossible to sleep in the night cause I so miss her warm hugs. Sometimes I long to hear her voice or see her. She returns back on 26th June from the USA but only to leave in 2 months again. And that time, it will be forever.

Im a very sentimental and emotional person by nature and letting go of things, memories and people is something I cant do very well. And letting my sister go, is going to be the most difficult thing I’ve ever had to do in my life. I love her lots and living without her is going to be hell. But I think I’ll manage.

I just wish her all the happiness in her life and wish all her dreams come true. It’s been a pleasure having an elder sibling like her and i want to say a big thankyou to her for being there for me always..im so going to miss her...

For old times sake...

'Request'

Sometimes for old times sake
you should look me up.
Have lunch with me,I'll pay the bill.
How little I know you though I loved
you for so long,
and still do for old times sake.

You cannot forget so completely.
Remember me a little and meet me sometimes.
Once in a while,for good luck,
do not negate the past.
Indulge me.

Not because I want to embarrass you.
It is not your lack of love which distresses
me any more.
I'm no longer obsessed with a blind emotion
which promises everything and nothing.
You have to be young forever to be in love
like that.

I will not bore you with details of how I lived
for months after your exit.
But because I'm pining for an old pleasure,
have lunch with me one of these days.
I miss you most when I'm eating alone.

A man should look up a woman sometimes
for old times sake.
For reasons other than those which are obsolete.
Have lunch with me,
I'll pay the bill.

-Tara Patel

Have you..?

Have you:

Ever been lucky enough to rise before the sun rose and see it rise beautifully?

Ever smelt the mud after the first rain falls?

Ever sat on a roadside footpath and seen the world pass by?

Ever drank hot tea on a rainy evening at a roadside vendor?

Ever danced in the first rain?

Ever touched the soft hands of a newly born baby?

Ever ran through the wind like there was no tomorrow?

Ever told your parents you love them so much?

Ever held your grandfather’s hand to help him walk?

Ever been in love so much that just the thought of being in love made you smile?

Think….

When was the last time you did something for the first time?

My Grandad...

My grandad wanted to see Swades. My mamu who lives in Boston for the past 12 years had told him that he should see it and that its truly worth a watch. On 5th August when the channel 'Star Gold' announced its premier show of Swades scheduled for 15th August at 1.45pm , my grandad was thrilled. He told me that we must watch it together. He had heard so much about it, he just was too eager to see it.He and i used to live alone in our very cosy one bhk flat. So well, we decided that 15th august, the afternoon would be spent watching the movie together and eating our favourite pizza for lunch. He loved it when i made pizzas, so promised him a treat that afternoon.

On 10th August he complained of being unwell, and by the evening had high fever running. The doctor was called immediately and he was put on anti-biotics.The next day, the 11th of August was my sisters engagement. He dint attend the ceremony due to ill health but blessed his eldest grandaughter and her to be husband and wished them good luck. He was so happy to see her get engaged...

His fever continued for 2 more days. My masi from poona, was also here for the engagement and decided to stay back to look after her father for a while. We used to take chances of sitting awake in the night, cause he used to get pretty uncomfortable due to the fever. On 13th night, he complained of chest pain. We called the ambulance immediately and whilst in the ambulance, he held my hand and said "Just take me soon. There's something wrong". We rushed him to the nearest hospital and admitted him into the ICU. It was 2 am by now. In a matter of 10minutes, the doctors told us he was critical. We decided against putting him on a ventilator and then the hope started. Hope that he will get out of this soon.

My grandfather was a philosopher. He had devoted his life to indian philosophy and its studies and was extremely passionate about it. He wrote a lot of books, was well known and had strength no 82 yr old man at his age would ever have. Till the time, we rushed him to the hospital, he drank water with his own hands out of the glass kept next to him.

I spent a lot of time with him on his hospital bed writing in capital letters on a piece of paper, how he should not lose courage and that he will be fine soon and that my mamu was on his way to see him. He asked for me on 14th afternoon. I was at home eating lunch when my mom called me and said, he had asked for a paper and pen and written saying "please call my grandaughter namrata"..so i had rushed to the hospital where he wrote further on that paper after seeing me asking me what was wrong with him.I told him, all was going to be fine and he should just rest and not worry.

My mamu left from Boston immediately to be able to be with his father and all relatives were informed about my grandad's critical condition. On the night of the 14th i decided to stay over at the hospital. Id lived with him for 6 yrs and knew him inside out and he knew me inside out too. We shared the best grandfather-grandaughter relationship. Whilst i lay on those thermal sheets in the ICU ward, i prayed and hoped he'd get well and come out of this.

The next morning was Independence Day.I awoke in the hospital listening to the national anthem in a nearby school. My sister came at 7am and we sat together till 11.45 together. Then my folks arrived and suggested we go catch a bite somewhere and come back. So my sister and i left. We were eating ice cream when dad called. He said grandad was critical and we should come back as soon as possible. We left the ice cream bars melting on our plates, payed the bill and rushed to the hospital with my masi and cousin who had arrived from poona that morning.

We reached at 12.30pm. The doctors had said they had done everything they could and he was sinking now. At 2.15 he gave up. Those pieces of paper with my name in his handwriting are the most precious things ive ever had. As i came down the hospital stairs, in the corridor of the hospital i heard the first song from Swades...the movie had started and my grandad was no more to see it...I so wish he had.

The walls of the house seem so strange without him, his bed still has memories of him sitting on it writing his book, the kitchen still smells of the wonderful tea he made for me everyday and the house just isnt the same without him anymore.

I sleep every night, thanking god for having let me spend 6 wonderful years with him. Without him life isnt the same. I miss him every second i walk into the empty house, miss him every morning when i wake up and can still feel his presence in this house where now the walls have only me to talk to...

Good Morning!

Yes, its been a nice sunday morning so far:) I woke up at 5.30 am, cause mum was leaving to go out of town and dad with his sunday friend for breakfast. I got up too only to find myself unable to go back to sleep. So, i contemplated if i should go for an early morning walk or a nice cold swim.People who know me will know, im a complete adventure outdoor person. Love water, nature, hiking, walking anything to do with the outdoors. Whilst i was in school, the only outdoor spot we had was badminton and running. I took up the latter, and made my ' yellow house ' proud:) I loved running. Still do, just cant carry on with it anymore. In a freak accident in school in my tenth grade, i got an open 240 volt shock, which damaged my left knee..after going through physiotherapy i was told i shouldnt run and nor should i continue with learning classical dance which i was doing then for 9 yrs. Quit both. Was terrible, moreso cause i enoyed dancing and running was life. The only medals ive ever won in life, are in relay and runnning competitions in school. They are just really special to me..

Well, after giving up both my physio suggested i swim. Its very good for the knees. So, when i went for my exchange year to Germany in 2002-3 i swam. I swam every day for 45 min cause i took up swimming as my sport activity in school. Swam on winter mornings in hot pools and it felt awesome. Again, another freak accident repeated itself. While dancing in one of our parties my left knee cap moved and i had a dislocated patella. Was rushed at 2 am to a government hospital in Luxemburg. Continued with physiotherapy there too. The doc there told me i could start swimming again in about 6 mnths. Came back to India and started swimming again. Went through physio again, and finally have managed to stay fit with very rare bouts of pain in the knee for 3 yrs now.

I miss running. Miss pushing myself that extra bit, to complete that goal id set for myself. But ive learnt..if i cant run, i can swim so id better enjoy that and i completely do. I even learnt ballroom dancing for a year as that was not such a big strain on my knee as much as classical dancing is.
So, coming back to my morning swim today..yes it was great. Managed a good 12 laps in 25 min flat. Had a nice hot coffee and returned back home. After doing 10 laps i could feel myself tire, but just had to do the remaning two..pushed myself that extra bit and it felt so good:) Sometimes pushing yourself that one bit more..makes a big difference..dsnt it?:)Reminded me of running one extra round of that huge field only because you just know you can do it and to prove it to yourself, you do it, even if it tires you out something tells you, you're going to be able to achieve it.

Im looking foward to a nice lazy sunday..my cats getting neutered(yes, not very good news for all my male frends:P) but its important news nevertheless. And the poor cat has been hungry since 6 am today cause hes going to be sedated later. Just hope all goes right...i love my cat ya..:)Like my parents say..they are convinced im married to my cat..so my new pet name at home is Mrs.Curly:)Well, he's a truly handsome cat..:)he he.

Life's Good...

The last two days have been pretty chilled out for me..im on vacation finally after slogging a year to get my bachelors in psychology degree and all im doing now is chilling and it feels so damn good:)..the whole of thursday i spent with my dad..believe me it was the first time in my life that i spent a full day with my dad and it was fantastic:) went to fort with him, travelled in a BESt bus with him for the first time and walked around fort, got his camera job done and came back in an AC bus. He was like an excited child in the AC bus and it was just so cute:) We chatted lots, walked lots and even if it was damn hot it was one of the best afternoons of my life...:) We returned back to matunga where we are members of a gymkhana and then went for a swim together!! it was heaven. the cold water just completely leaves you stress free. i love swimming, swim about 12 laps in 35 min and i love it. i dont think, theres anything else that would make me feel as good as swimming does!well after the swim, we returned home and i cooked bakes beans on toast for my mum and dad..and it was a very cute homely family thingy:)..my grandad and sister are out of town which leaves me spending all my time with my really awesome folks and its fun..its a great experience to spend so much time with them for the first time in my life...and yes im pampered no end too:)

well, friday i lazed around..spent loads of time with my cat Curly and read Chocolat for the rest of the day. Today i went out to lunch with frends of my sisters and it was a lovely afternoon. we had lunch at cafe churchill and desert at theobroma(hope i spelt it right)i missed my sister loads..but her frends made sure i was ok:)!!i love colaba..its one place in bombay where walking is a pleasure..the old buildings, the small cafe's, the afternoon's spent in mondy's drinking beer are some superb memories from there. i love the museum as well..its prettier now after it was renovated last yr and id recommend it to anyone who wants to go back into indian history and see some awesome stuff.

i just came back home some time ago and i smile to myself for having such a lovely day. my sisters frends are awesome people..moreso cause they take me out and hang out with me even when my sister isnt around and its just so sweet of them:) we even saw Pink Panther and its a hilarious movie!!worth a watch for steve martin:)hes too funny ya!!..

so thats abt it.. at the end of the week its a good feeling to know you still have your awesome parents to pamper you and love you for what you are and blessed friends who are ever ready to make that one afternoon for you worth a million dollars:)....
have a great sunday all of you:)

Colours...

I loved to paint as a kid. Anything that needs to be filled colours into, I would most willingly do it. Tell me to draw, id run away. I hated drawing but I loved colouring.

Today while traveling by train, I happened to meet another kid who was as fond of painting as I.But,she couldn’t afford it.She went around the train selling ear buds in small plastic bags while her mother sat next to me.Ate the age of 6 yrs she couldn’t afford to look at that tempting red colouring book,which another boy of about 12 yrs was selling; which had a big yellow tweety on it attracting her attention in no time. She was amazed by the fact of filling beautiful colours into figures that would come to life as soon as the colours were put into them.She was the only earning member of her family and couldn’t possibly waste 2 rupees on this small yet very attractive book.

Finally, she gave in. She called her mother who sat silently on the seat next to me and told her how she wanted to buy this book and that it costed just 2 rupees. Her mother, I then realized was completely blind. She curtly told her daughter that they couldn’t afford it, as they hadn’t managed to sell more than one ear bud packet for 5 rupees today. The kid's face sulked immediately. You could see all her excitement drain off in one min and anyone who had seen her sad face would have melted and so did I.

I called the boy, bought the book from him and gave it to the girl. She hesitated first but finally agreed and when she took it from me, she gave me the best smile id ever seen in the world. Mother and daughter immediately got off and I looked at them. The kid was so thrilled, she took her mums fingers, traced them over a Mickey mouse face and said “ha bagh, ha undiracha tond”(see, this is the face of the mouse)…and I smiled to myself wondering how just the smallest of things make us so happy sometimes..:)

Long Sundays...

Shall start with one of my favourite poems:

'Sunday Song
'The calendar has just dropped
A Sunday in my room
I'm puzzled how to hold on
To this long vacant day.
There's a lot of dirty linen
and many pending phone calls.
On the table,theres a shaky mountain
of
books,
and i have to wash my hair too.
I know i wont attend to any of these.
Every now and thenI'll ask my room-mate the time.
and pretend to be sleepy.
I know that in other rooms
the girls are dressing up devotedly.
Looking at them you can easily tell
with whom they plan to go out.
But ask them and they will say,
'A cousin has come from Bhavnagar.'

I wonder at the emptiness
of this Sunday and of all Sundays.
It was never like this
when you were here.
We'd rise late,
sip each other's tea,
bathe together,
quarrel,
all in a few hours.
We'd go places,visit friends,eat bhel-puri,
We'd come back,make love again and call it a day.


I dont know how it has happened
but the road seems narrower without you,
and the sea less dignified.
I can't talk to a soul
without mentioning you.
You know how it bores them.
No one wants a moping matron around.
In reality,
all our friends were your friends,
all our ideas your ideas
all our projects your projects.
I followed you like a corollary.
Now i am away from you,
missing my handcuffs,
feeling stupid
on this long unpromising Sunday.

-Nine Indian Women Poets,
Edited by,Eunice de Souza.