Snowed In .. !!

Three years back I had never seen snow and yet I loved it. I associated it with happiness, holidays and fairy tales. Everything from Narnia to grumpy old Scrooge was associated with snow and the magic was undeniable. The idea of building a snow man, having snow ball fights and riding sleds was all part of a beautiful parallel world where I was absent. Unfortunately now the snow is here but the magic is absent. I have not built a single snow man ever, never even got into now ball fights or rode sleds. My fascination with snow has been replaced by more practical questions like how will I get to school in the snow, do I have enough supplies to last me a few days if I can't go buy grocery, will I have to clean the snow from the sidewalk when I wake up in the morning.
Yet, somewhere I have to admit that I cant help but smile when I see the first snow of the season. Nothing is as beautiful as waking up one morning and seeing the world around you all white and pristine. Maybe the magic still lingers, somewhere.

Anoushka

Being the cynic that I am I thought I would never fall in love again. But when I held my niece for the first time in my arms at the airport I knew I had fallen in love again, hopelessly and unconditionally. Just the way I liked it. She is the most adorable thing in the world and there was no way I or anybody else could not love her. It felt good, the beginning of something nice and beautiful for the rest of my life. I only hope I don't miss out on much of her life. Here's hoping that a day will come soon when I shall be able to live closer to her and see her grow up.

Observations

A few things I am growing to appreciate

• Life is not a fairy tale. Witches and fairies can no longer be distinguished from each other.
• You don't get what you deserve from life, you get what you get.
• Magic ended with "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows". Do not look for it in real life.
• Some dreams can never be realized. The question is choosing the right dream to follow.
• True love exists only in books and SRK movies.. :)
• Inspite of it all a good laugh can still make your day.

The Magic is Missing

The magic is missing and I have to deal with the hard facts now. And the hard fact is real life is not showered with magic and reality is less beautiful. No magic ever happens and people reconcile with what they get.

A Good Laugh

Two and half hours of laughter at Radio City Music Hall, NYC. Can life get any better ?? :) Russel Peters is so much better in real life. Even the few old jokes cracked me up.

Musing

I was reading an article about a study which is looking for aliens among earthlings and the research is being done at some of the most prestigious colleges in the world. Made we wonder how many years it would take for someone to earn a PhD in such a "out-of-the-world" topic. After all my PhD with a very realistic topic is not making much headway. I mean do they have to wait till the martians take over earth to graduate. Boy !! thats a real long wait. I think I am better off :).

Lesson

Many years ago I had an argument with my Dad. I thought he was being very pessimistic and cynical, he thought I was being childish and naive. We finally agreed to disagree and we were both sure one day we would prove each other wrong. Today after what feels like a lifetime I have to very grudgingly admit that my Dad was right and I was wrong. It took me many years and many rought times to know that I was not right. Now I wonder if I would have lived life differently if I had believed in my Dad then. Maybe it was better I didn't. Certain knowledge comes with maturity, bitter experiences and an imperfect life. At the age of fifteen I think it's impossible to fathom that life will treat you any other way but with the highest regard. My total disregard of my Dad's opinion was a reflection of my innocence and optimism. A teenager who imagines that life is a bed of roses and the world is at their feet. Good times.

Lunatic in My Head- A Review

Since the day I heard about the book, "Lunatic in my Head" I had been waiting eagerly for a chance to get my hands on a copy of this book. After all it was a book about Shillong, written by an author who grew up in my Shillong with characters based in my quaint little home town. How could I not want to read this book. Finally on my trip home I managed to get it, a gift from my sister.
The book relates the story of four very different people in mid 1990s Shillong, people who had lived for years in this city but were still outsiders. People who had no other place to call home but still didn't belong in Shillong. Just like the pace of life in Shillong there is something slow and painfully consistent in the life of characters. It's like nothing ever changes. Nothing ever changes in Shillong, not the rains, not the riots, not the extortion, not the smell of pine, not the pain, absolutely nothing. Reading the book was like listening to my Dad talk about life in Shillong. There was nothing new or nice in the stories but you listen anyways. The book also ends fairly abruptly with absolutely no progress in the story. Yes it felt like Shillong, my home where nothing ever changes.

Another Sem

My fifth semester has just come to an end. With it comes the realisation that I have learnt a lot, but there is so much more that I need to learn, so much more than I already know. A feeling of foreboding sets in, a feeling that I might not be able to reach the end of the rainbow and might never find the pot of gold. Yet, I want to chase it. It makes me wonder if I am foolish, plain stubborn or just determined. What I choose to name it doesn't matter but it is there. When I finally manage to earn my PhD I hope I shall be able to get rid of that knot in my stomach. Like somebody told me eventually this effort will be intellectually worth the time I spent.

Earth, Wind and Rain and Fire

Wealth, Power, Blood, Desire

One Goal to Live for Before we Die

One taste of Glory

One Mouthful of Sky !

Lines from an old Indian soap but it conveys my feeling aptly at this point.

Gift

Sometimes somebody who you barely know and someone who barely knows you tells you something which makes so much sense and sticks with you for a long long time. Today I got such an advice. I only hope it does not fade out of my memory anytime soon.