Synonyms..

Volatile:
Unstable/ Unpredictable/ Explosive/ Hot-blooded/ Impulsive/ Fickle/ Capricious/ Hot-tempered

Capricious:
Changeable/ Whimsical/ Variable/ Unreliable/ Fickle/ Erratic

Fickle:
Indecisive/ Inconsistent/ Vacillating/ Picky

Vacillating:
Irresolute/ Of two minds/ Hesitant/ Dithering/ Wavering

Irresolute:
Undetermined/ Wishy-washy/ Cowardly

Wishy-washy:
Weak/ Spineless/ Spiritless/ Ineffectual/ Pathetic

Ineffectual:
Incompetent/ Unimpressive/ Unsuccessful/ Useless/ Hopeless/ Inadequate

Inadequate:
Insufficient/ Not enough/ Scarce/ Too little/ Derisory/ Laughable/ Poor

Derisory:
Pitiful/ Insulting/ Ridiculous/ Contemptible/ Mean

Ridiculous:
Ludicrous/ Preposterous/ Absurd/ Silly/ Unreasonable

Preposterous
Outlandish

Above was just a game I was playing to break the monotony of work and it made me realise what fun words can be and you never end from the point you start from (be it any sphere of life).

Volatile..

It's like a burden lifted and I do feel the vacuum but I am so so relieved.
Please please let it last..

Valentines..

The single most important man in my life wished me valentines and made my day: my Dad.

Stuck..

After this one, another life changer with the same friend and once again in a Chinese restaurant.

@#%$&: It is inevitable Sam. Sooner or later you will have to take a decision , make a choice and get into something permanent. The later you do, the lesser chances you might have to adapt to the situation easily.
Life is difficult. We will all have problems, it never will be perfect. But it is upto you to choose the happiness you prefer: financial, personal or professional. Would you rather have less money, a bad day a work but come back to a happy home.

Me: I know what you mean and I know the choice is an obvious one.
To myself: Leap of faith, that is all I will have to take.

Like the last one, this too has stuck by me and I am grateful that we had this conversation.

Surprise..

I finally got one, after more than two years of contemplating: I am talking about a tattoo.

I realised how fickle I can be whilst getting one, the artist had just done the outline and I screamed that I wanted it off and I absolutely hated it. He stopped right then and just stared at me while I calmed down and got my nerves back. Now I understand that it was not the tattoo that I hated but the whole idea of permanency. And the reason why I chose to go for one was to get something, anything permanent.

I have always run away from situations that call for commitment of any sort.
- When I make plans with friends, I always have a backup to get out of them.
- On my work side I know I can quit anytime and go back home.
- Hair cut: they grow again
- Any purchase: I can return or buy another one.
- Relationships (minus family): I don’t get into one and then I know that though it may hurt but I can chose to back off.

Considering above, this decision to get something as permanent on myself was a very big deal and I don’t regret it a bit. Hopefully, other similar life altering decisions will give me the same feeling. Ta..

And a very happy new year to all.

Simple..

Very recently my dad offered to buy me the much talked about Amazon Kindle and I refused. Can you believe it, yes I refused.

I am not a very techno savvy person, my laptop is turning six and my last purchase a year ago was my cell phone: Nokia E72 that I sincerely regret buying. I prefer using my Samsung Guru, the cheapest version available and the only so called gadget I would possible invest in would be a very very nice watch (if it can be called a gadget), for the simple reason that I would at least wear it 23.5 hours a day.

Anyways, coming back to books, the fact is that I love to read, going upto two books a week at times and spending Rs. 5000 a month on an average so buying a Kindle would be a sensible option but I love books too much to replace them with technology. I love their warm smell, I love scribbling on them, even doodling if a particular text reminds me of something. I love looking at the glossy paperbacks and making mistakes by judging them with just that. I love spending hours every weekend at the bookstore and realizing that the staff knows me by name now. I love cuddling up in the quilt with just my eyes popping out to read or sitting in the sun with tea and a book.

Basically, I love books too much to replace them with fibre and plastic and somehow looking back at my collection of books and trying to remember my memories associated to them is fun.

A regular long post after a long time, it feels good..

Slither..

I don't like being me right now: helpless, restless and all of that..

Startled..

Dad: I am going to say yes.
And I saw my whole life flashing before me.

I have often wondered how death is going to be and always imagined it coming as a relief. Now I almost know.

Sore..

It hurts so bad..

Missing..

Its been longer than ever this time, perhaps the longest I've stayed away..

There's been a whirlwind of activity work wise with no breather at all and the time spared is spent trying to catch up with the few remaining friends who are willing to tolerate my mood swings, bitching about work and frequent non show-ups even after making a zillion plans..

In between, I've gone home couple of times, read a lot and come across some of the nicest of words that leave me smiling. I hope the following lines from A Million Little Pieces by James Frey will have a similar effect on those who have still stuck around this space despite me not showing up.

I miss you.
I like that you miss me.
I like that you like it.

I leave you with this and hope that I will be able to hear this from someone and give a similar reply. Till then..

Reconcile..

There are so many times you feel like making that one call and putting things into perspective, tell the other person how sorry you are about what happened, how you want to turn back time and amend all the mistakes that were committed just because you were young and stupid..

It doesn't mean you want to change the outcome of the past, its more to do with getting that one friend back who meant so much to you or even telling them that its all good and making your peace with each other, just that and nothing more..

Just..

I don't like month beginnings, clearing dues, paying bills and suddenly seeing my bank account go empty..

And I also don't understand why we take a person for granted the moment we realise they like/love us.

Updates..

This is probably the longest I've stayed away from here, so long that I am afraid I have forgotten how to write, give spaces between words or mark paragraphs but write I must, just to get it back..

All this while I've been away, its just footwear I've been making and liking the work and hating the people with equal intensity. I think I am doing an alright job and the best part is to come back home drained and going off to sleep without a thought. Some may call it a hollow life, but work has been keeping me going and liking what I do is just a privilege.

I came to write something else, totally non-work related but ended up with this and then suddenly lost my chain of thought, guess I will have to end it abruptly.. Anyhow, I've also been reading a lot when I travel and I recommend Mohsin Hamid completely, its nice in an English August sort of way..

Till then..

Remembrance..

Its been a while now since this happened. It personally did not effect me much because I’ve been living out of home for years now and the bitterness in family ties and all that my parents had to face made me cold towards it all.

My Taiji passed away a month ago and living together as a family for 37 years had its pros and cons. There was a struggle to cope up and adjust with each other, the strains of it visible in the later years when families grew larger, expectations higher and hearts greedier.

I went to the hospital where she had been admitted in Delhi and the scene shook me. I couldn’t meet Tai, she was in a critical state by then, the surgery having failed but the sight of my Tauji, his helplessness, his anxiety was beyond explanation. It was their 50th anniversary that day and sharing that period of your life with someone is something I can just imagine. My heart went out to him and I cried my way back home, I knew in my heart that this was it and begged God to prove my instincts wrong.

Going back home made me miss little things about her, my eyes searched for her on the balcony as soon as I reached. She used to stand their for hours trying to keep an eye on whose going where, a habit that irritated me then but which I now find endearing. He voice that echoed in the house calling for servants and giving instructions.. But most of all I remember how she loved me when I was little, my Mom tells me it was only her who could soothe me when I was ill and how she always saved my from my Dad when he was angry.

I realize that family bonds are hard to break, things may get bitter, life difficult but the warmth remains..

Books..

I am in love with Wuthering Heights..and Catherine, and Heathcliff..and their bitter love story that touches the soul..

Appropriate..

Because I couldn't help it..

Job..

He up there understands me, my faith is reaffirmed (it never was gone).

I landed in a job that takes 12-13 hours of my day leaving me no time to grasp life and that's totally refreshing..

Loss..

The gravity of the loss hits you only after there is nothing left to save..

I feel so tender and lonely right now and there's nothing I can do about it; I didn't do much while I could have..

Reflections..

A little more sane
A little more mature
A little more clear about life,
And yet, a little confused too..

A little more independent
A little more free
A little more confident,
And yet, a little lonely too..

A little more unburdened
A little more comfortable
A little easy,
And yet, a little introvert too..

A little more hopeful
A little more faith
A little more belief in the one up there,
And yet, a little scared too..

The past year taught me this and a little more
This year hopefully will bring love, friends and a lot of happiness too..

Have a great one..

When I wrote this, I didn't know I would stick here as long as I have, in spite of the stubborn promise made. However, with the year ending, I'd like to say that I am glad I stuck around, learnt so much and kinda grew up reading other peoples' (some of them friends now) spaces.

And with this I would like to wish you all A Very Happy New Year and loads of love and happiness. Till then..