Shreya's suggestions

Seeing me drowned in reading, writing and surrounded by books, Shreya was worried and restless that I was not playing with her. She asked me what I was reading and writing.

I found it difficult to explain that I was revising my book based on reviewers' comments coz she thought that I'd already completed it few months ago. She had half-a-dozen queries: why was I writing the book again, what is it about, for whom was I writing it...

I told her I need lot of time for this and once I'm back in office it'd be difficult to concentrate on my book. First suggestion that came from her made me burst out laughing: "see Maasi, you write every evening after coming from office till middle of night...when you go to office, be there till afternoon, then tell your friends , you have a feverish feeling and come back, then again you write". I said that's not right thing to do etc..Otherwise, try this, she said: "when you are in your office, take the microphone and make an announcement to everyone saying you have something important to write and you cannot come for a few days".

Though I was touched by her concern, I could not implement either of her naive suggestions:)

2009 - already uh?!

2009 has quietly swept me in its fold. I hardly realized that 2008 is already past. Friends asked me "so what's up for 2009" I said, "for me 2008 is still not over".I'm mentally in 2008, funny right? Perhaps because all that I wanted to accomplish in the last year has spilled into the new year. I've extended my 2008 by two more months, so this time it will have fourteen months instead of twelve. Sounds crazy?

Well, that's the spirit with which I shall go ahead this year - non-conforming, rebellious, outspoken and all those qualifiers used by my college friends to describe me during my college days! Who says entering mid-life is like a crisis? Mere thought of my college days makes me feel rejuvenated, much younger, reminding of times when I didn't have to think much about mind-body-soul therapies, haemoglobin and thyroid levels, yoga and detox methods.

I want to re-live those moments in totally new and challenging times - defined by terror trails, political scandals and corporate scams and what not- all in the backdrop of perhaps the worst economic recession. Isn't this what we are into as we herald this year. Sounding cynical? That'd be the last thing for me, i'm just trying to be realistic and calculative in understanding the magnitude of issues that characterise our age. We still continue to do the same old things - new year parties, fireworks, celebrations, greetings, visiting crowded temples...aren't we tired of all this? Some self-indulgent and some meaningless acts of self-mockery - taking shelter in transient experiences devoid of any introspection or self-reflection!

Time to introspect: Just wondering, did I take things very seriously so far? It's high time I change my perspective of looking at things, people, surroundings - I think I need to consciously change my focus and re-set my goals for the next five years. There's lot to do in these years - more for personal satisfaction through social extension than anything else. Not the least, undermining the importance of clocks, calendars, to-do lists and deadlines.

Some good news for train passengers

Delayed but not denied - the right of every passenger for dignified travel. At last the goverment has realized that it was not worth the 'effort' to add that additional berth in 2nd class and AC 3tier. Read the details at:
http://www.hindu.com/2009/01/01/stories/2009010155081300.htm
My earlier blog on the same topic can be viewed at:
http://madhurid06.blogspot.com/2008/11/thoda-adjust-kar-lo.html