We’re entering the final days of 2014 — how did you do on your New Year’s resolutions these past 11.75 months? Is there any leftover item to be carried over to 2015?
Let me at the outset confess I don’t really make New Year resolutions that resolutely. So there wasn’t much “stocktaking” to be done right now. Oh I do make a few resolutions all through the year with deadlines of the following week , month and so on. But I have forgotten the time I last made a New Year resolution in all earnestness for the New Year per se.
You can single handedly create a causal relation between two things that are currently unconnected — a word and an emotion, a song and an extreme weather event, wearing a certain color and winning the lottery. What cause would you link to what effect, and why?
Oh Wow .. what if the Birds chirped and Violins played?
N every time I saw you, I heard “our songs” in my head?
What if every time I looked at a cake slice longingly
My weight would go down by a 100 grams unfailingly?
In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “Final Trio.”
For our final trio prompt of the year, write about any topic you wish, but make sure your post features a bookcase, something cracked, and a song you love.
The holiday season: can’t get enough of it, or can’t wait for it all to be over already? Has your attitude toward the end-of-year holidays changed over the years?
Having spent most of my childhood in Goa, I associate this season with warmth and cheer, joy and happiness lots of great food. Christmas Carols and a host of feel-good emotions rush into my mind as I reflect on those years… from Stars and beautiful Cribs and Silent night and Joy to the World and roly poly Santas at every corner. Of course the fact that School was closing also added to the general feeling of well being!
After we left Goa, I have not celebrated X’Mas with the same fervor and so it was sheer nostalgia to go back to Goa about a year ago in December. The twinkling lights, the decorated houses at every corner… I felt I had come home! This time with a new family…. I also had the once- in- a -lifetime experience of meeting many of my lovely classmates for a meal……… Unfortunately today the net is playing up and I am unable to upload pictures clicked on that occasion .
We stayed at a lovely Resort … and enjoyed ourselves thoroughly. Lazy days stared with a walk to the beach which was almost deserted at that time of the day….. We would then pick on a place to visit and after the visit, taste the local cuisine at one the many eating joints that dotted the countryside. Yummmm!!! South Goa was untouched by the commercial tourism and it was a pleasure interacting with the fun loving Goans….
A family holiday to me is togetherness personified and we did a lot of activities to that end…. starting with a dip in the pool on some mornings.. eating at nearby restaurants… to playing cards and Dumb charades in the room….sharing music a great “binder” – as I read somewhere.. listening to the music your kids are listening to can open many windows and doors.
I must say, we came away richer for our experience, that Christmas.
The serene beaches, the beautiful sea in many many moods….all were memories we could draw upon for a long long time to come to recreate that feeling of togetherness….
Be It Goa or Pondicherry, Kerala or Shimla, Kanyakumari or Kashmir… family vacations have a way of creating bonds as we get busy creating memories…
I do not know what Santa has in store for me this year… as a popular joke goes, it is important that he gets my prayers right – I want to ask him for a Slim Me and a Fat Bank balance… Last year he had reversed the request !!
In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “In Due Time.”
In Due Time
What’s your next, most pressing deadline? Are you excited, stressed, or ambivalent about it? What’s the first thing you’d like to do once you’re done with it?
Life is a series of deadlines for most of us. From homework and assignments in childhood to deadlines at work as well as home are more the norm than the exception…
I am generally not very stressed by deadlines – in a way I welcome them to a certain extent, because I feel it “inspires” me to do my best.. As i often say, a wee bit of Adrenaline is always good for the task at hand!!
I found this particularly true when I had to give exams. I was /am unfazed by exams. And I noticed that I did better when I was slightly anxious about the outcome rather than too “cool” about the whole thing. There was an ad those days about Kelvinator being “the coolest one” and I was often called Kelvinator!
One deadline I grapple with almost everyday (and lose off and on ! ) is the morning rush. I need to wake up in time for a walk at 5.30 which means that I have to be up at 5 – this usually after putting away my laptop at 1 am!! My daughter leaves at 6.30 am.. and I usually hand around her till she leaves. Breakfast is at 7.15 and I plan to be out of the door by 7.30 so as to reach the hospital at 8. As a friend used to say, I sometimes get out at 8.05 and try to reach the hospital by 8am!!!
My speciality is a series of deadlines from everyday work to the natural outcome of each patient. the daily deadlines helps me deal with deadlines in general with a calmer and cooler mind, I guess.
My nearest deadline is to write this post in 10 minutes and hook it to the magical grid that is back in our lives. Thank you, WordPress!
Tell us about the object of your dejection — something you made, a masterpiece unfinished, or some sort of project that failed to meet your expectations. What did you learn from the experience? How would you do things differently next time?
This list- where would mine be beginning ?
That forgotten unfinished oil painting?
The blue cardigan awaiting its collar?
The value of the rupee to the dollar?
The Lil’ pile of books I have yet to read?
The jewellery I never started to bead?
The post PG Study leave that I did not take?
The lovely cakes I wanted to learn to bake?
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The holiday abroad Rajiv and I had planned?
The daily walks we had planned hand in hand?
The extra minutes I wanted to spend with my son?
The movie we were to see together on television?
The music classes I missed with my dear daughter?
That were planned weeks ago, now seem to matter!
————–
This list may never end, But for every list of dejection,
There is another list, a longer list of of joy and affection!
The love and tender warmth in my husband’s eye
The happiness in a friends voice, no money can buy.
The twinkle in my darling daughter’s eye,
The spring in his step as my son does fly!
The blessings of my mother feeling cared n loved
The smile of a patient , the bundle of joy she held !
You have to write a message to someone dear to you, telling that person how much he/she means to you. However — instead of words, you can only use 5-10 objects to convey your emotions. Which objects do you choose, and what do they mean?
This prompt is rather difficult. How can one ever convey one’s emotions through things? If one does have to, especially to someone away from you … I would use these .. Words create magic and nothing conveys emotions as well as the written word… To me my mobile and laptop are “the language of things” … to so many many people .. a few special people, my family , my friends. Maligned they may be , but they keep me in touch with my own emotions as well as my loved ones and well wishers
Another way I express my love is through food.. and I love cooking for my friends and family…especially the ones who visit infrequently. Knowing what they like, making it with my own hands and then watching it disappear is something I love.
Music is the food of friendship too and many a time I have used and enjoyed this on my phone and shared it with friends.
Thoughts words music messages and mails …keep a relationship alive and more so a long distance one.. and so here’s to those special bonds.. may they last forever and ever!! I hope these pics convey the message to the ones I care for..
In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “Feeling Fancy.”
You’re given unlimited funds to plan one day full of any and all luxuries you normally can’t afford. Tell us about your extravagant day with as much detail as possible.
Ripples and Reflections
Wow ! A dream come true!! What could be better?
A ready to occupy country house first on the letter.
With a library, an all night cafe and a home theater
The best of staff, the best of linen all causing a flutter!
From this lovely home, in a long sleek swanky shiny car
I would weave my way to the latest designer store afar!
Rubies, pearls n the long-awaited sparkling diamond necklace,
All in due time would in my treasure trove find a pride of place!
Shopping done, swathed in the best designer gown
To my waiting yacht I would take the road downtown.
And undergo in its spa a luxurious make-over,
As I allow the magicians there to take me over .
To look and feel like a million plus bucks,
My next stop – a few ‘instant’ tummy tucks.
The day culminating in an evening feeling divine
Amidst roses music, dim lights and exquisite cuisine.
As I magically find I have nimble feet
I and my love would dance to every beat.
Money cannot buy happiness they say?
They knew not where to shop and stay!
A spendthrift I am self confessed and accused
No better way to spend a day than discussed!
So bring it on, please bring it on
Let the music play on and on!
Retail therapy brings such untold joy
Would love to do this again and enjoy
Thank you WordPress for this lovely fluffy dream
May you bring more and more I daresay and scream!
Good night…..
I should have spoken of abstract options and emotions and all things nice … but today this is me ….. dreaming of material things and unapologetic about it! Ha ha!
Ripples N Reflections 