The year of the white pants.

I decided that 2019 will be the year of the white pants on the first day of January while talking to my husband and a friend I met after a very long time. The conversation that we were having was animated and entertaining to say the least. A good way to start the year, I’d say. They both had ganged up against me and were making fun of my ‘tight, white pants’ when I declared to them that ‘This was the year of the white pants’. And as if to prove my point, for the next 23 minutes, a number of women crossed our path wearing, you are right, white pants. If left to my own devices, I wouldn’t have noticed it, but the better half decided to keep a count and an eye on every passing body (men and women) who was adorning white pants.

Though said in jest, like most things that I utter, this was also a profound statement. I came to the realisation while manoeuvring through the traffic that laced the roads of central Delhi the same evening. In the many years that I have been wearing pants and over two decades that I have been choosing my own clothes, never have I ever owned or worn white pants. In the last week of December 2018, the time when I usually do a thorough revision of the year gone by, something came over me and I ordered a pair of white skinny fit jeans for myself. The usual arguments of white garments, especially the trouser variety, getting dirty easily and a magnet for stains of all kinds did not stick long enough for me to empty the cart. In fact, an inexplicable force ensured that I made one of the fastest online purchases of all times.

While braving the traffic on Tuesday evening, the statement ‘This is the year of white pants.’ kept circling the crevices of my brain. One of the many residing voices asked, ‘why?’ and I decided to write this blog post as a reply to that question.

This is the year of white pants because…

I plan to focus on me in ways I haven’t before to the best of my knowledge. During a fight (not an argument, but an out and out fight), the man of the house told me that earlier I always had found reasons/excuses to avoid exercising and taking care of myself but now I was running out of arguments that would elicit sympathy. That statement hit a nerve. It did not stop me from continuing the fight but I took that observation as a souvenir and let it ferment for almost a week. And now it’s all coming out through this post.

So, apps have been downloaded, meal plans have been made, I have already consulted a doctor and got my thyroid levels under control. Health is going to be a major point of focus this year. Thankfully, I have a personal cheerleader at home and one who sits in the US and lectures me on FaceTime and WhatsApp.

Over the last 6 months all my energies were being channelled towards buying the new house, overseeing the last leg of construction and setting up the home. It’s more or less done and now I can go back to my passions of photography, reading and baking and hobbies of gardening, art and craft and home décor.

I will take more risks in terms of the food I taste, explore new forms of music and movies, try out new creams and cosmetics and indulge in different kinds of footwear. Things, I ignored to a large extent even when nobody asked me to nor did I need to. Much to the charging of my husband, I plan to grow my hair out a bit as well and will experiment with various plats and ponytails. My Instagram timeline is going to be an interesting one for sure!

The first draft of the book, which is only one-fourth done, will be completed this year. I will ensure that it is. Also, I have been promising to blog more for the past couple of years and failing miserably. But as corny as it sounds, the New Year is a new chance to do it right!

If the decision to own and wear white pants hasn’t fazed me I don’t think anything else can.

Also, if you were wondering, the inspiration to buy tight white pants came from Jimmy Fallon and now this is my theme song!

  

Things that made 2016 unforgettable

The year is about to come to an end. The time for a review is upon us. This post, more than the others, is for me. One day when I am old and wrinkled, or maybe later in 2017, I will read this and all the other annual posts and smile, laugh and cry, not in this order necessarily.

Unfortunately, for most parts I have to nod in agreement at the hundreds of memes flooding Facebook and Twitter that claim that 2016 has been one of the worst years. Office was eventful to put it mildly. As the HR and senior management tried to make up their minds, I was put in three different teams and under five different bosses in a span of six months.

January and February were cosy and comfortable at home. Meanwhile, there was a whirlwind at work.

In March we travelled to Mangalore to be with V’s parents. We went to my in-law’s farmhouse for the first time. V showed me around with so many childhood stories delivered at various stops. I drank nearly half of the coconut farm's produce. It was blissful. The barbecue managed by my BIL, cooking by my SIL, the pool shenanigans of our two-year-old nephew, my brother’s singing, my MIL’s anecdotes and FIL’s jokes and our laughter under the star-lit sky made the trip everything I had imagined it would be and then some more.

April went by with office playing more than required on my mind. But I did wear lots of sarees as a part of the 100 saree pact. I also painted penguins and ladybirds of some stones to decorate my balcony.

May started with a happy buzz surrounding me. The happy days didn’t last long. We suffered the biggest loss of our lives. I had a miscarriage a day after the pregnancy test came positive.

I was on bed rest for the better part of June. I lost a baby and in the aftermath lost a few erstwhile close friends as well. Friends, who I believed would be a part of my life forever, decided to keep their distance even at a time when I was drowning in the black pit of sadness.

July was about surviving. I am a child of a survivor. I have seen my mother survive hardships, one after the other. So, I decided to be inspired by her. No. I did not pick up knitting needles. I rekindled my love for photography. I started baking. I bake some kickass cupcakes with buttercream icing and meringues now. And I started posting shameless crowd sourcing pleas on Facebook for a KitchenAid tilt stand mixer.

The trip to Tirupati was the highlight of August. Had a great time with family. The food in Tirupati is to die for. We then went to Bangalore. Food was not as good but the weather was awesome. We visited the zoo. Seeing animals with Amay was loads of fun. He said hi to the bear in the sweetest voice. I learned that even if the guide says don’t make noise, a two-year-old will say ‘ROAR’ when he sees a real lion for the first time.

By September, following several visits to the doctor, constant hand holding by V and continuous support from elders of both sides of the families, I started feeling more like myself. I started eating better and exercising again.

October was exciting. V’s parents visited us in Delhi. This time they stayed for a little more than a month. V and I took them for a road trip to Kasauli. It was one adventurous drive. So much fun though. We bought 14 kg apples while returning. V drove like a champion. I cooked a lot and pampered them to my heart’s content. And I was pampered as well. Had a fantastic time celebrating Diwali with them.

Mid-November saw me returning to the HumSoc department. Like I told LB, it seemed like I was returning to my parent’s house after getting used to hostel life. Getting back to work and the grove of the department was not difficult at all. However, I am wiser to the changes in me and around me now.

Just as November was ending, office became interesting as ICSE decided to introduce a new syllabus. I loved being immersed in work. Bone-tired I managed to work on a book and handed it over for production in around 13 days. Proud to say, I did not have to sit late or work over the weekends. And I am more than happy with the way the book looks in its final avatar.

Just at the onset of the ICSE madness, V and I went to Bharatpur for our anniversary. Returning to the same road after nearly five years of the accident and coming out unscratched was a win. Sighted lots of birds and my favourite owls. At one point, V and I were atop a machaan, it seemed that it was just us two in the entire world, surrounded by hundreds of birds. Magical.

We got V’s drums home. His joy was priceless. And I am so glad that I played a role in making it happen for him. He plays for hours over the weekend while I bake or read or paint or cook. Our house is a happy home.

Prasha called from the states to wish us and told me that she bought a KitchenAid for me and that Mami was going to bring it to India on her return. Man, the Secret works! The fact that my baby sister bought the best machine in the world for me made it even more special. My cupcakes, my cakes, my meringues and the buttercream icing have started tasting so much better now! Yay!

December brought with it K from the US. She stayed at our place for one night. It was so much fun. K and V met for the first time but it just didn’t feel like it. I was happy to be surrounded by so much love. Mami bought the KitchenAid. My excitement knew no bounds. I was jumping with excitement. So happy with the gift. And can safely say I receive the best gifts. And the cherry on my cake of happiness was the fact that V got a big Christmas tree and a lot of ornaments for me to decorate.  

Just as 2016 draws its last breaths, G and her family have reached Delhi (from Calgary via Amritsar). I will be meeting them on the third day of the New Year. My joy knows no bounds. I will be meeting her kids for the first time!

The last day of the year is also marking a first of sorts. V and I are hosting our friends for a New Year party. This is the first time ever that I will have friends over. The only other time I celebrated with friends was in Pune in 2011. Otherwise New Year’s eve has always meant plonking in front of the TV or writing my annual posts, once from Goa, with my friends fast asleep on the bed next to me. I have cooked for the better part of the day. My house is my point of pride and it is ready to welcome friends with its warmth.

I hope 2017 continues to bring joy our and your way. May we end the negativities in our lives one-way or the other and move on. May we begin on newer paths of happiness and contentment. May we continue to bask in the warmth and glow of love and loved one.

Happy New Year!

Let's Start the New Year!

Is it too late to start the year? Some of you might say yes. Some, I hope, will be sympathetic to the cause of procrastination and say, ‘No. no. Line wahin se shuru hoti hai jahan tum khadi hoti ho. Toh saal kyun nahi.’ And I, gleefully, will choose to listen to the second group. The group of my personal cheerleaders. The chairperson of this group, I am sure, is incontestably my mother. A relatively new entrant to the game, yet one of the most important players around is my partner, V. My friends for life, K and G, will call the moon, the sun if I asked them too. Also, I am sure they will convince others in their lives to do the same if they knew it would make me happy. The others in the squad I am not naming because their role as a cheerleader might make other less fortunate jealous.

So the New Year begins twenty two days into the month of January. I write my first post of the year. And I promise to return with posts more frequently this year than the last. At least one post per month if not more. I promise. Mostly to myself.

Over the last year I have been away from the blog for several reasons. I have been writing and working towards the manuscript of my first book. I hope this year I make sound progress on that front. I have been busy being a homebody. I have enjoyed every moment of being a wife, a daughter-in-law and a sister-in-law. I prioritized, willingly, my new family over almost everything else. And I am glad I did. Earlier I was at the center of my world. Now, my world has expanded. I travelled a fair bit. I read a little bit as well.

There were other stars in my galaxy. However, things are not the same. I carefully took steps to distance myself from some situations and certain people who increased the negativity quotient in my life. There have been certain collateral damages as well. Not that I have not been hurt by the overnight change in attitudes of people I trusted to be my closest friends. However, that is the story of last year. This New Year I want to begin by letting go of what has been left behind or has changed course. I am looking forward to meeting a horde of new people. Making new friends. Retaining a few from the old batch.

I will take better care of my health. My fitness will be a priority for me. I will consciously reduce the junk intake and will gravitate towards healthier food options. I will exercise. I will lose weight. And most importantly, I will stay happy. I will also be particular about eliminating the negativity intake. If last year has taught me anything at all, it is that even the most seemingly positive people can ooze negativity if what you are doing does not fall in line with what they believe is correct. Shedding (weight and negativity) is going to be the motto of 2016.

I would also like to pick up my camera more often. I will post at least once a month on my photography blog as well. I need to rekindle my love affair with Delhi. I must admit it took a backseat over the last two years as I became busy in being romanced by V. I have an ulterior motive in rekindling my affair. I want V to fall in love with the city as well. 

The travel goals remain unchanged. Several old places need to be visited afresh and there are many newer places that are waiting to be explored. I will take at least one trip where I will be in digital isolation—no phones, no internet connectivity and no tabs. Basically, no devices except for my camera maybe.

I will learn more about gardening. This season my rose bush will flower no matter what! And I will not buy kadi pata or dhaniya after June. Six months of my life I will dedicate to the flourishing of these plants.

I will read more. At least one book a month. The more the merrier. I already have three on my reading shelf. I will make some bookmarks. I will invest in good books and in a good bookshelf. I will try to meet/correspond with authors I like. I will surround myself with good books, good readers and good authors. The love affair with words will continue.

I will continue to use colour pencils on paper and try to stay within the lines as far as possible. I will write more letters. I will call more relatives and friends to ask them how they are doing and to discuss the weather. I will watch good TV programmes and good movies. I will not watch Bigg Boss ever again. Season 9 was enough to check it off my bucket-list as something to be done once in a lifetime. Now, I am done forever.

I will invest more money and time in owning board games and playing with family and friends. I will host friends and family for game nights, wine, beer, whisky, tea, coffee, finger foods, lunches and dinners. I also promise to be more creative in giving gifts. Some of the lucky few will receive handmade stuff. The gifts might not be perfect in shape but remember to appreciate the effort and love I will be putting into them. You have been instructed in advance. Feel free to invite yourself over or to ask for gifts. I will try not to disappoint you on both the counts.

I am taking a huge risk by publicly making these declarations. I know of a handful of people in my life who will not let go of a single opportunity to wave this blog post at me every, or any, time I falter on any of these promises. And I am leaning on them to do just that.

An exciting end to 2013

Before today, I never understood what the quote, ‘live like it’s your last day’ meant. However, if someone was to ask me tomorrow, I would tell them I have lived a day as if it was my last. The fact that it coincided with the last day of the year is just a coincidence. SKT, who is now travelling with me, has put a lot of pressure on me. Her instructions were simple, ‘Khot, you have to blog today. It has to be as awesome as the day we spent.’

So, let me start at the beginning. We began the day by watching The Sound of Music on the TV in our room while the three of us took turns to get ready. Once in our beach attire, we decided to walk to the taxi stand. A lady, who we asked for directions, told us that the walk to the taxi stand was half a kilometer. In the same breath she told us to take a bus. Bonds that we are, a unanimous decision was taken to walk the distance. After walking for more than 30 minutes, we decided to go for a second opinion. Luckily, a bus was in the vicinity and this time the gentleman who was giving us directions almost pushed us into the bus.

The three of us toyed with the idea of taking a bus to Panjim. Playing with the idea tired us soon enough and we took a taxi to our destination. The first goal of the day was to hire a car and enquire about transportation options to Gokarna (our next destination). After haggling for almost an hour and what seemed like forever in the scorching sun, we hired a cab. The driver promised to take us around wherever we wanted to today and then drive us to Gokarna tomorrow, for a handsome sum of course.

We went for a late breakfast + an early lunch to Viva Panjim. The meal and the ambience was an experience in itself. The old pebbled street, the tiled tables, and the delicious Goan cuisine ensured that the day began at a great note. Yes! We believe that the day begins only when a meal has been had. OK, OK, I confess that is not my philosophy. I believe that chewing is a waste of time. But today’s Goan meal had even me thinking that ‘jeevan safal ho gaya.’

Done with the lunch, we went to Colva Beach. The sun was strong and both SKT and Frooti had really strong reactions to the beach. They hated it as much as they had loved the Baga Beach. However, as the sun went down their spirits soared. I was super excited throughout. I was looking forward to some time in the water and ending the year on an adventurous note. Thankfully, managed to do both!

SKT and I went parasailing! She went first and I followed suit. We were in the air for only 2-3 minutes. But it was the best 2-3 minutes of the year gone by. I laughed throughout the ascent, the flight, and the descent. The experience was liberating to say the least. I would have never thought I would ever do anything closely related to adventure sports. But I did it! And I cannot wait to do it again soon!

We walked for a long time on the beach. Spotted a lifeguard and decided that it was a good place to go into the water. Two men, drunk and obnoxious, decided to inch too close to comfort. The three of us shouted at them and then went to complain to the lifeguard on duty. The lifeguard was very prompt and immediately called the police. When confronted by the policemen, the men addressed us thus, ‘Please don’t create trouble for us. We approached you only because we thought you were foreigners.’ This response ensured that we rebuked them even more. The policemen escorted the men out of the beach. And the line, we thought you were foreigners, became our motto for the rest of the day. We went back into the water. Came out, made sand castles (or shivling versions of it), and then went back into the water again.

Just before the sun was about to set, we found a not-so-busy beach shack. We ordered some food and just sat looking at the last sunset of the year. The wind was cooler now. We sat listening to music, talking, and laughing. It was a great way to end the day.

But we had more exciting plans.

We went to a pastry place and picked up some, you guessed it, pastries. Our second stop was Domino’s. We ordered pizzas and headed to pick up a Breezer for each of us. We reached our holiday home after an hour-long drive. We ate pizzas watching You’ve Got Mail. We realized we had no bottle openers so our Breezers are sitting on the TV trolley, staring at us. SKT and Frooti have slept after repeating time and again that they will sleep only after ushering in the New Year. I am living an exciting dream and writing the last post of this year.

Happy New Year!

May it be exciting for all the right reasons!