Zindagi Rockz

Today would've been Mummy's 64th birthday had she been here with us.. However like she said, it's always the best people that get called to heaven early on.. So she's celebrating her birthday in heaven along with my brother..  My Mummy was a wonderful woman who enjoyed the simple pleasures of life.. a homecooked meal, reading books, stitching, embroidery, knitting and she loved tea and had endless cups of tea in a day..  She was an excellent cook and enjoyed cooking for her family.. Even when she made normal stuff like maggi it tasted just out of this world..  So I inherited none of her homely' hobbies, but I inherited her love for books.. She was a well read woman and had an excellent memory.. And she was an excellent teacher and was well respected and loved by all her students.. She was strict with me and my brother.. More so with me.. She had high expectations of me and growing up I had very little margin for error.. I used to resent it that she was so strict and...

First of all, a very happy Friendship day to all of you.. I think you have read enough quotes and seen enough reels depicting the importance of friends/friendship in our lives so I won't give you any more 'gyan' on the subject.. But the occasion calls for a customary blog post so I decided to pen down a few thoughts.. I've come a long way from being that naive girl who believed that 'Friendship is forever'.. "Friends forever" is something I scoff at now.. that's probably the cynic in me speaking.. But I've also come to realise that people come into your life at the exact point in time when you need them.. These people turn into friends and then long after they're gone still stay in your life albeit just as memories, but not without leaving a lasting impression on you..   Today I take this opportunity to thank all these different types of friends (some of who are still in my life and some who are not) who decided to adopt me as their friend ...

So when I met M for the first time I never thought that we'd be friends.. You know because of the Senior/Junior thing that we otherwise term as the "Generation gap".. But when I met M for the first time, I also wasn't prepared for meeting the most calm person ever who was also the coolest, most fun person you could ever meet at the workplace.. So after exchanging pleasantries I asked if she had any work for me and after much thought she gave me some letters to prepare.. It became a daily routine.. I would go to M's desk, greet her with a reverential "Good morning, Ma'am" and ask her if she had any work to assign to me.. and she didn't have much work to give me but I had nowhere else to be so I would sit next to her and watch her as she would go through the day doing her work in a methodical manner.. Her day would begin with a call to her husband as soon as she reached office.. Her next call would be to a friend who is now my friend too.. (heh heh...

So, I'm not sure what a person who learns/practices Yoga a couple of times a week is called and so I'm taking the liberty of calling myself a novice "Yogi" (for want of a better term).. Please pardon my ignorance and let the records show that I don't intend to offend anyone with this post.. So now that the 'disclaimers' are done with, I should get to the point.. In the past couple of years I have tried to focus on my fitness.. So I've joined the gym and tried to be regular with my workouts.. It's been a challenge, but with a lot of support from my hubby and also my mom (when she was here) I have for most part been regular to the gym.. I'm enthusiastic about any physical activity be it working out at the gym or playing any sport like badminton/table tennis.. And when I was transferred back to Bangalore, I found Cult Fit.. Cult Fit has been like the "Find of the year 2023" for me.. For the unversed, Cult Fit is a chain of fitness centre...

So for those of you who don't know what 'Karma' is, let me explain it to you.. It is the sound of your daughter's voice when you walk in after work (relatively early) and she says... "Maa, I've never seen you at home at 7.00 PM".. Sarcasm, on point! Few of my friends would say, "After all, she's your daughter.. What did you expect?" I now realise how people around me must feel when I dish out sarcastic lines with a deadpan expression.. People around are always on the backfoot, always trying to figure out if I'm serious or joking.. I now have someone who's beating me at my own game.. and whipping my ass, I must add.. Today my not so little one is celebrating her 12th birthday.. It's been such a wonderful time seeing her grow up.. While being her mom has been one of my best roles, one which I have thoroughly enjoyed, its not always a smooth ride.. There have been heartwarming as well as hilarious moments during this 12 year journey....

So, I’m not a very social person.. I’m reserved, shy and like to maintain a low profile.. so an official trip is something that gives me anxiety.. because I have to force myself to mingle with people and it’s not my strength.. The nature of my job is such where I have to communicate with different people throughout the day.. and those conversations are easy for me because they don’t require for me to make small talk.. and most of these conversations are over the phone.. Whereas when we’re called for an official meeting or in this case a Conclave, it’s a totally different ball game.. I have to make eye contact with people, make an effort to talk and pretend to be interested in what people are saying.. because if you keep quiet and to yourself you’re often labelled as haughty, snobbish and arrogant.. No one gives an introvert the benefit of the doubt that the person may not be arrogant but just painfully shy and unable to initiate conversations..  What’s more tough during such offici...