Happy 6th!!!

Dear Dear Babs!!!

I tried to steer you towards choosing Strawberry Shortcake for your Halloween Costume but you were adamant about being Cleopatra. Everyone found it funny and interesting that you had even heard of her. Of course, you have! You have only seen the "Adhisayam" song about a 1000 times. It did not stop there. You want to wear the costume every night and then talk to me about Cleopatra. Obviously you had no idea who she was or what she was but each day we wiki a little and now you know more about her. I like how you are getting into your character, like a method actor. You make me learn new things.

When you wanted the American Girl doll because you had to take it to a friend's party, my first reaction was hell-to-the-NO! But you never forced me to get you one. You asked for it and then said it was not a big deal if we did not get you one. When I made a deal with you to work for your doll, you agreed but kept worrying that you will not make it before your friend's birthday party. Rest assured mom and dad would have got you one anyways because you are that awesome!

You wanted a big party for your 6th. We sat you down and asked you if you would like to spend all that money and have a big party or have an intimate one with just us and you requested to add one friend. Well, we actually wanted to invite more than that but we wanted to low-ball you. We of course obliged and also have a special party planned for you with a few of your friends. Of course you have no idea about it but hopefully you are pleasantly surprised. And the money we saved from not throwing a big party...it was supposed to go into your college fund, but instead went into mom's Prius maintenance fund after a rock hit the windshield pretty hard.

You have a big heart, you cried when my father was sick and hugged me tight and spoke to me at every given chance you had. You have adjusted with my temper tantrums, you tell me patiently, "amma, sometimes I think you have anger issues." You love me with your little hands. You play silly games with me and your dad and tell us how much you love us. The other day after you crashed in the car after some serious fun Dandiya, you whispered in my ears, "amma, I love you both a lot," and went right back to sleep. You refuse to sleep in your room and each day make some new excuse. You make me laugh and never cry. Even when I am going through crap in life, you make me put on a smiley face and forget stuff for the few minutes I spend with you.

Did I tell you, how amazing you are at hoola-hooping? At ping-pong? At ice skating? At being you? At how you make jokes out of everything just like your dad. At how you amazingly funny you are and how many inappropriate jokes you tell me and dad and I beg you not to repeat it to others? The joy you bring to my parents?

You are 6. I cannot seem to remember where the past five years have flown by...I remember bringing you home, and now you are ready to walk home by your own self from school, though that wont happen for a long while. And yes, school, you are adjusting so well there, you have made friends and today, I saw you go and pick your food from the cafeteria line. It was the most amazing sight, to see how independent you have become. But the screaming and yelling you did when you saw me and amma walking towards you to pick you up for lunch, was priceless. It was worth the two hours I missed out at work. When I came to pick you up at noon today, I saw you walking slowly and was the last kid in line with head bent down and dragging your feet, but the minute you saw me, the smile and excitement...was again worth every bit of it.

Every time you tell me that you understand that I cannot pick up early like other kids or do somethings that other kids do, you make me fall deeper into mommy guilt...but that is only because I love you and it is amazing how a 6 year old can understand what I am going through when I explain how I have to be at work. It is amazing that you are your own being...showering, eating, sleeping (in our bed) all on your own...

Happy 6th Sweetheart and I pray to all the Gods that we will together be able to celebrate many more as a family with Pappa, you and me! You cannot imagine how much we love you and we need you as much you need us.

Love
Your Amma!

Oh God! Why Me?

It was 12.30 in the noon and my friend and I ran frantically between one bus to another bus to get a seat aboard some decent A/C bus to take me to Chennai. I had finished my TOEFL exam in Bangalore and had spent an extra day in Bangalore thereby loosing my reservation on train and the only way to get back seemed to be on road. Which, of course was completely booked. We finally got a set on a Karnataka State Transportation bus which I think was the cheapest fare I had traveled in my entire life between Bangalore and Chennai. And I have done that trip a million times.

My friend who dropped me in the bus was hesitant and asked me many times if I could postpone my ticket for a couple of days. I wished I could but I had to be in Chennai that night so I could take my GRE exam the following day. I walked inside the bus dreading the journey but to my surprise I saw this girl who was my brother's classmate's cousin. We had met at a party and for some odd reason, we knew her parents well and her own brother was my junior in college. The minute I sat down next to her she said, "please don't tell my dad or brother or my cousin that you saw me on this bus." I promised her wondering what her secret was. Which I eventually found out through another friend. At least I had nothing to hide so I saw down feeling a bit better that I had company with me on a bus which had maybe another woman on board.

We chatted a while before each of us got absorbed in our silence, she was not like my best friend or very close to me. We obviously lived different lives, one in which I told my parents everything, well almost and never traveled away from home without informing my family. The journey seemed painless and we assumed that we would reach home early before sunset and I started to relax. I told myself that this was not as bad as it seemed and for Rs.30 I could not have asked for more.

When we got close to Tamilnadu-Karnataka (Hosur) border we heard a lot of noise outside and the bus came to a sudden halt. I did not think it was much to worry for a few seconds before a handful of men walked into the bus with such propriety you would think they owned the bus. They had heavy logs of wood in their hand and the famous South-Indian Veecharuva (sickle). They walked into the bus looking high and low and screaming, "if you are in here come out, you are not going to escape alive." They walked past us and then stopped by us for a few seconds, we were the only two young girls in the entire bus. The two of us bent down looking at our bags intently and did not dare look up till the bus moved again. I think my legs were jelly and my stomach was running at a higher rate than my heart. My friend and I held hands and did not let go for a few minutes. 

The entire bus heaved a sigh of relief but I can bet no one would have come to save us had they wanted to walk away with us. Phew! Thank God! 

When we got to Chennai, my friend reminded me one more time not to tell her family about seeing me. I don't think I met her after that day but I still remember the events so clearly...of course things happened in slow motion freaking the daylights out of me...so much for a non-exciting Rs.30 travel day!

So anyway, I write after reading https://www.facebook.com/GurgaonPolice/posts/511992945549788

I can imagine to a certain extent what each of them might have gone through. Fear is the same when you feel overpowered and unsafe in any situation. It takes a lot for anyone to put aside their life and stand up for anyone else. 

Anyways...thought I will share!

Love

ART

The Run and Fun

This past weekend was hectic beyond words. A friend was visiting from New Jersey and my BFF and I were doing a run. Another college buddy of mine also decided that he would join us and the three of us were promptly 30 seconds before the race started. Of course, this was not a race by any means for us because we were the last to start among the 1000 that were there but the good news is we finished somewhere in the middle. It was such a pain finding parking and the walk to the race was so far. Three years ago when we had done this same run it was not half as crowded.

We finished the run, tried to taste some beer which was uber-bitter, so we ate some breakfast and headed home. At home friends, G and I played boat loads of ping-pong and then took Babs back to the Oktoberfest. She did some rides, we blew up some cash, and got back home. We got ready and once again took Babs, dropped her off at a play date with friend and headed Oktoberfest once again. If you are keeping count, that is third time in one day...

Met a whole group of friends there, hung out, and then went over to another friend's house for after party with the kids. By the time Babs was sleeping it was 2.00am and by the time I went to sleep it was half past two...what a day!

The next couple of days...I limped around with pain in everything leg!

Go Oktoberfest...hopefully we will run every year!!!

love
ART

Aashiqui-2 - Hindi Movie Review

So someone who understands alcoholic should give me insight into what this movie is actually all about. I saw this movie Friday night and woke up Saturday morning seething in anger. What a waste of time, I had seen a movie that had no point. Pointless. Wasted wasted wasted!

I am pretty sure my anger is directed towards the director. Why would you make a movie that had no point? Why glorify drunk driving? Why show a drunk causing an accident on such a light note? Argh!

Anyways, the hero, RJ (Aditya Roy Kapoor) is an acclaimed singer who has lost interest in singing. He drives into Arohi (Shraddha) who sings at a bar to make a living. On hearing her voice and commitment he wants to make her his protege. Off, he swoops her back to Mumbai to make her into a famous singer...but our man is lost to the liquid love. They fall in love with each other but he refuses to sacrifice his drinking habit to save their love and her career. He falls into the throes of jealousy, begs for help, relapses into his old days. The movies runs pacelessly, while you are hoping that something good will come out of this mindless love.

I understand why the girl loves him, he got her out of poverty, gave her a career, etc. etc...but he is an alcoholic refusing to change. He is a mindless alcoholic. And then the movie ends...abrupt...I don't want to give away the story...but it is blah.

The songs are amazing. I loved every song but them I can hear even on the radio, why waste 2.5 hours watching mindless almost predictable story? For a moment when the movie started, I saw hope, I wrongfully assumed that he had a past love story which went sour making him bitter with life. Alas, no such hope, he is an alcoholic for the sake of being one...apparently such people exist. Oh well!

If you have absolutely nothing to do...still, avoid this movie.

Ghanana Ghanana....and no Rain!

Each day I look at my dying yard, at my red oak that is almost no more. I think of ways to revive it and I cannot find many. With the strict watering rules, I try to hose them down at least twice a week because I would definitely at least want to save the tree...and then of course there is the natural way of doing it in some parts of the world..."Rain."

Well, reality check, I live in Dallas...could almost qualify for a desert...we get thunderstorms...not like in India where we get monsoons when the whole city/district/state is flooded for three weeks straight. Here it rains, pours, lightning, thunders, and then storms out too as soon as it came.

On Wednesday, I saw rain clouds forming over my head as I was driving home. I got hopeful, I know I am fifty miles away and it possibly wont rain at all in my part of the metroplex but I prayed and sang..."Ghanan Ghanan....in my head...I saw all the right stuff, bijli (lightning), kale megha (black clouds), and even heard the Ghanan (thunder)...and the water came down pouring and cleaning my car. I was so happy...I called husband to rejoice with him. He stepped out and confirmed that the land outside our house was still parched, no clouds, and not a sign of rain...the tempo of the song slowed to the sad ending of the song in the movie in my head...
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This happens every time. A few weeks ago, I was going to meet Girl Friend for dinner. She called and said, it is pouring over here...I popped out, the clouds seemed ominous...husband and daughter were sprawled out on the deck chairs taking a nap after a swim...I told them about the rains, hushed them in when husband said, "It is not going to rain here, you go ahead."

Got to the restaurant, the clouds were very dark still...but no rain, waited outside for friends, and still no rain. Friend came in after ten minutes and all the clouds were gone...no rain again at my house! Dang it!

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Husband goes to NJ and visits my brother. He goes house hunting with my brother and calls me and tells, "with my limited knowledge I could see that houses in NJ do not have foundation issues."

Heck yeah! It friggin' rains there! Unlike Dallas!!! So I reminded him gently, "They have basement problems."

Husband said, "Well, at least they have a basement!"
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Anyways, I guess for now, I am going to pray the red oak survives and that our neighborhood gets lashed with some good rain which does not bring with it other perils like tornadoes and such...

Until, then I will do an Amir Khan watching for rains and keep saying, "Dugna Laagan dena padega."

Love
Dry ART

Oop!

Ya...just Oop!...don's ask me why...it is that kind of a day today...

The past three days I have been going into the coughing bout...where I cough for 15 minutes and the rest of the day passes by like I never coughed...so far had been happening only at work during day...specially after boss sir asks me a question. He assures me that I will live and that I should let it the cough wind its way down...

But last night...oh it was a different story. I coughed. I coughed and I coughed and I really thought the roof will come down...thankfully it did not...I took NyQuil at 11 to save me some chest pain. I was watching TV and suddenly felt my eyes get heavy, I laid down in the sofa, then a small voice said, "go and sleep on the bed, else you will remain here till morning." I pulled myself up, set up the night stand with water, took contacts off, and set up Babs morning stuff and snuck into bed forever...er...until 6.15am. I was already late by 15 minutes.

I sat in the car with a muffin, telling myself that eating a muffin will make me wake up. I think it made me fat and not awake. I really have no recollection how I got to work. I sat in the parking and took a ten minute nap and got up to work with sticky muffin hands.

G did a "I told you not to take NyQuil so late in the night," song. I sneered at him over the phone. He reminded me, "Coffee!" I said, "yes, going right now, Aja Aja, Fighting."

I sat back in my chair...wondering, "shit, still so sleepy." Cough, Cough, Cough, and it continues....

Love
Coughing ART

Press the Post Button Already!

I have three posts written and waiting to be published...sensitive touchy topics...so I being me decided to let it rot in the box. One of these days they will come out and live to tell a story...literally...

Anyways, life is moving so fast right now that the only way for me to keep track of what went past me is through my blog and that seems pretty empty to me,which means that at the end of the year...there will be no end of the year post...which means blah.

Babs is now in "big school." I don't know how that happened but what seemed to be a big deal fizzled out. I thought I would be the mom that would cry buckets, and the mom that would worry about every random thing. I surprised myself. I bought her supplies the day before school. I dropped her off, got a bit moisty eyes en route but when we got there I was just excited by the whole drama of School. Babs got to her class, waved at her friend and found her name and sat down in her chair. She quickly picked up the piece of paper and crayons and started to sketch something. I tried to take pics with her, she obliged but shooed me away when I kept trying to get the perfect pic. I said bye three times to her, the third time was when I stood at the door, she was busy sketching with her back to me, she waved me away without even turning back to look at me. Good sign.

In other news, we have realized that our home is a living thing just like us...needs love, attention (more than I ever fathomed), care, gentle loving whispers, etc...or things literally die on you...like the grass in our front yard, or the red oak tree...which for the record I am trying to revive. We are also spending a fortune to get our pool flag stone re-laid, so no one standing around the pool fall inside involuntarily, and we bought our own lawn mower...so G is busy one evening every week, while Babs and I stand and supervise. I help with the trimmer but the mower is way too powerful for me to operate.

Oh! and yes! the Ping-Pong table...if you know me, you know that I love racket games...Tennis, Baddie, TT. I grew up with those...I used to play a lot when I was in Trichy and then when I moved to Chennai, I lost touch with all of them. Fortunately when we moved into our apartment during the last three years of college, we had TT in our basement. I again spent hours playing and eventually played for my college. I made some amazing friends and we traveled together making memories...So when our table arrived, all I could think was my friends and the stories...of course G and I spend at least 20 minutes a day playing and Babs and I play for about 10 every day. She is getting better each day...Loving the new memories we are making with the table.

Body image issues...a new thing I keep hearing again and again from parents. I hear it from parents who use excessive make up...they do not want their kids to have that particular issue...really? So you have the problem, that is alright, but your kid should want to go au-natural and feel comfy in her skin? lol, you guys crack me up. I want to write a post about this soon...so keep watching here...

And of course, the media room...G got me into watching Super Hero movies...seen Hulk, Spidey, and IronMan...in love with Iron Man...omg! Seeing that movie gave me the same rush I get when I see Rajni movie...so much fun! Felt like a little kid all over again.

And Babs, you are all so grown up when you beg to be dropped off at school door after the first day, you are already embarrassed of your parents...brilliant...you say the cutest things and it is always so nice to see you in the evening all smiles and happy. Your dad spoils you by letting you eat ice cream every evening after he gets you...oh...I could go on...well separate post of the fun stuff you have done in the past few weeks...

Love
ART

And then it was done...

When babies are small, they need you so much. So much that sometimes you want a break from being their mother, their caregiver, their one true need. After all the stress of work and baby, you are often wondering, when will my baby start doing things on her own...well...apparently now for my Babs girl!

By the time she was two she was off diapers, thanks to Pinky, her baby sitter. She started to eat on her own before she turned three and by the time she was four, eating out was not a challenge any more. She started to choose and wear her clothes, get her hair done and sometimes even make up done before she turned five. A few things left for me or G to do were her bath...this was a major ticket item, one that G and I fought over when we were tired...

This past Saturday a friend was coming home and our home was a mess. I was trying to clean up and G was helping me. Babs after playing outside was a mess and desperately needed a shower. G took her in, turned the tap on at the right temperature and told her to call him when she was soaked enough to get her lathered up...and completely forgot about it. Fifteen minutes later when I asked him if he had helped Babs finish her bath he stared blankly at me. Both of us rushed to our room to find a clean Babs, neatly dressed and doing her hair. "Now what else is there for us to do?" we both wondered.

It is true that every time your baby weans off a dependency a new one comes up. They are never going to not need you, at least that is the hope. I think I would be an emotional wreck if my girl told me that she was done needing me...But at the same time you make me proud every time you take on a new challenge.

Love
Your Amma

PS: Babs, you were showering the other day and you had secretly used your Papa's soap. When I wanted to cream you up, you begged me not to do that. I asked you why and you said, "I like the smell of Papa's soap, it reminds me of him, please do not take it away with the cream smell."

PPS: You sang for the first time on a mike at a karoke party! Now I am officially ready to go to a Karoke Bar with you...cannot wait!

7 Years!

During my first eleven years in Trichy I moved three times. When we moved to Chennai, we moved four times. That is times in eleven years until we finally settled down. And then I should remember my internship in Bangalore too. Then it was time for me to move to US. In the last thirteen years, I have changed cities, five times and houses five times too. I have pretty much been on the move making memories at every single place as I flit between homes. I really wonder how much fun it would have been if we had an ancestral home where we would have lived all our life and could also go back to it during vacation. I am jealous of all the people who have this opportunity. Then again, this moving is what makes me, well, me! 

Over the years, I have developed this detached attachment to places. I know I will leave them one day and hopefully move to better life and opportunities. When I came to America from Chennai, I carried, like all others, two suitcases of important things and tons of memories. That single experience changed me. Now I am a hogger for anything and everything that means memory-making. I have unopened boxes labeled as "Trinkets."

So anyhow, now after seven years we moved last week. The past seven years, have been the longest stint for us in one single home. And surprisingly the same holds good for the husband. We are nomads! We hate the change and we did not want to move out of the condo, until now. We are literally being forced to move for the sake of the daughter. Babs has to go to school and for that we had to move to a neighborhood with a good school district. So here we are, in our own home finally. We had tried to look for homes in the past but each time we were ready to close we backed out. We liked the comfort, the static life, the ease of lifestyle that our Condo provided. We were not ready to take on the adventure of being home owners until we had no choice.

Finally, we moved in. Into our very own nest. The feeling is different and I can compare it to having a baby. The home needs attention, love, caring, nurturing, just like a baby. Sometimes even more attention than a baby. We are constantly thinking of things to do, things that need to be done, or this and that and all about the house. Not that Babs has taken a back seat, that will never happen but that house is a close second now.  

Honestly, it is tiring, back breaking, never ending...but at the end of the day, with wine in one hand and feet up, sitting by the pool with friends, letting the pleasant July air waft by...it's all worth it!

Love

ART

PS: Surprisingly beautiful July Dallas is enjoying this year. 

Bubbliest Babs!

Yesterday the two of us were cuddling close to each other trying to take a nap. You wanted to wiggle away and I held you close saying, "in a couple of years you wont come close to me, so just stay put." Your eyes teared up, you turned and looked at my face and said, "amma don't say such things and make me sad."

I reminded you that," this is a part of growing up Babs, it is what I did and what everyone has done. Nothing wrong with it," I tried to rationalize. You being all of five asserted, "amma, I will never stop cuddling with you, if you say such things, I am going to get really sad and cry."

"I promise, I wont say such things again," I assured her and held her close by scared that in a few years you will be embarrassed to hug me, give me a kiss on the cheek, or hold hands with me like you do every time we go for a walk. Which by the way I love, our walks. Our evening mile long walks when we do multiplication tables, sing songs, say stories, talk nonsense, fight, and you get tired when I drop you off home with Dad. I love those.

I love the way you experiment walking on your own a few steps and then hurry coming back to hold my hands. I love the tiny fingers and big talks. I felt bad when you cried after seeing a dead squirrel on the road. Then I loved the story to made up to make it a happy ending for the squirrel, the enthusiasm with which you shared the story with your dad and pointing the exact location where we found him when we drive by each time.

You are so grown up...well...most of the time. And then again you are a little baby, our baby. We fight everyday when you eat slowly, as if each bite should and has to take 3 minutes at least. We fight when you start bargaining TV time for doing even the simplest thing. I love that you know how to strike a deal. We fight when you start doing something and loose focus on it. We fight when you go to a class and spend more time chatting than actually working. But at the end of the day after you have slept, when me and your dad look at your face, we are in awe of everything that you. All the energy, ideas, ideals, laziness, and most importantly the love your being holds, how you define us and how we define ourselves because you. I love you my Babs!

Love
ART

Slacker!

When you are busy or just feel that 24 hours is not enough then the first thing that goes out the window is....your blog. Yes! That is what has happened to me this year. I have never been this bad...oh well! Records are meant to be broken.

Anyways, this year has been epic so far. I cannot explain in words how each and every month has a scary turn associated with it.

February saw me getting into an accident...an Ford 250 pick up rear ended me on a busy high way at peak traffic hours. I am glad that I could drive that car home and could put my fingers in front of my face and could count them...I did a self test while I waited for the cops to arrive...gave myself a clean chit...no concussion. The cops never arrived and I drove him a beaten up Prius. Two months later and after a lot of back and forth we bought yet another new Prius...my brand new car was totaled.

Friends have been sick, not the usual cold, but something more serious. A friend met with a horrible scary accident. Another friend is going through some issues that  break my heart every time I think about him and his family. And things going here and there that are scary. A late night phone call freaks me out...so do not call me late unless it is the juiciest of juicy gossip.

I have not seen many new movies but am still engrossed in love with Korea and everything Korean. Love my dramas. Love my Korean actors. And the Korean Language...Still in love...more in love after I found this out...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dravido-Korean_languages. I wondered why it was so easy for me to pick up Korean...and then I realized the similarities that I pointed out to G, and he googled this up. He wondered why I had not thought of doing it before, and I told him that I never thought there could be such a thing...well wonders never cease.

Anyways...this is a good start and hopefully will keep it going!

Keep visiting and I will continue blogging...and switch over to another RSS feeder before google shuts Reader down.

Love
ART

Kaapi na Narasus Kaapi Dhan...Besh Besh Romba Nanna Irukku

Remember this advertisement? I used to watch it every single time it came on TV, to just see the young and handsome Arvind Swamy's face. I would run all the way to the living room as soon as I heard the noise. I did not care about coffee but I cared about Arvind Swamy. Sadly, not any more...heard he did not grow up to be cute...

Anyways, remember the song, from Minsara Kanavu? In that she says, in Tamil, Pasi konda neram thaalikkum osai...sandhosha sangeetham...when you are hungry the noise of food getting prepared is happy music (thalikkum =  making tadka).

How true is that line? I think in those days Vairamuthu knew exactly what was going on in my mind. Almost all his songs reflected how I felt...anyway getting to the point...I remember hearing and smelling the tadka for the dal being made and I would be at the table ready to gobble up whatever came out of the kitchen. I think you get twice as hungry if you can smell and hear the ghee tadka...

But now I am into one smell, nope, aroma...coffee...I never thought, even in those days of dreaming of Arvind Swamy that I would be a coffee drinker. I was raised as a South India drinking Desi Chai at home...not British, not American or Narsus Coffee drinker...I was a chai girl.

I know how that happened. After moving to America the only time I get my Desi chai fix is over the weekend. What do I do for the 5 days in between? I tried to tea bag it, and realized that it is the worst type of drinking tea ever. Then I tried hot chocolate, does not help at all in Texan Heat. Then finally I settled down with Coffee, creamer, and loads of sugar. At first, it was a 1/4 American sized coffee mug (equals one cup of coffee in rest of the world), then a little over 1/4 mug and now I have graduated to the point of slightly over 1/2 mug and less than 3/4 mug. I am proud to have made the transition. I have managed to keep it to strictly a maximum of 2 cups a day.

When I walk into the office kitchen, seeing a full pot of coffee makes my heart happy and then the aromahhhh...this is a close second to the sound and smell of mom making dal tadka...I think as we grow up we tend to slowly replace old memories with new ones...and that is what is happening to me here...

BTW, how cute was Arvind Swamy in Dalapathy, Roja and Bombay? Perfect South Indian boy...

And have you heard Urvasi Urvasi in the recent past? What fun lyrics...the movie released a year before I sat for my boards and everything Mr. Vairamuthu said in the song held true for my life.

Anyways, even if you cannot speak Tamil or know what Tamil is click through the links and you might find something fun...

Love
ART

The Recap

This year I have been slow about everything. I will blame it on the drive, once again. I barely find time to do anything else. Even spend time with the family is now going on, on the basis of appointment system. In between all this chaos, I am trying to work in some work out and that is going nowhere either. But then, I will not complain, 2012 was full of surprises. I have changed jobs, learning a lot and my daughter turned 5 and life goes on...And here is a recap like I have been doing all the previous years:


January 2012: We started off partying and welcoming 2012 in San Francisco with family and close friends. A trip to the Golden Gate on the perfectly clear and sunny day was very welcome and ending it at a coffee shop watching the waves hit the rocks was perfect.

In an attempt to loose some weight, I went for an early morning boot-camp, and in the process of doing something I am normally not capable of I tore my LCL. I think my body warned me but I did not listen to it.

February: India beckoned and we went away for a month. There was a wedding filled with his family and then small trips to Goa, Pune, Bangalore, and Chennai completed the rest of the trip which went into March. I thought I was getting off the brace and almost stopped using it until I realized that I had not healed yet towards the end of the trip. Came back with a swollen knee...too much fun is also not good sometimes...I guess...

March: We got back in time to celebrate my birthday and then a family trip to Houston where we went to Brazos Bend State Park and spent time with the Aligators...Also March saw me switching over from Iphone to Samsung and buying my favorite toy an Ipad to replace the void of not owning an Apple product. Oh and BTW turned a year older.

April: Was in the middle of a heavy thunderstorm, sitting and waiting it out in the stair case while tornadoes went past us...and it was also the time when I got re-addicted to my Korean Dramas! Oh and there was also the trip to Austin with family living on the lake for three days and lazing away supremely.

May: The big change. Took a break from work. It was relaxing, therapeutic and could not have come at a better time...summer! Babs and I got to spend so much time together doing new things. I knew that this break was short lived and tried to pack as many things into it as possible.

June: One of the worst months in the year but a lesson learnt. Kids deal with adversities way better than adults...Babs broke her hand while doing a harmless jump from a harmless place in a harmless mall play area...I cried. I freaked out. She said she did not care and went on with life. I panicked. I created scene!

July: I do not remember anything fun. All I can think of is trying to keep Babs with a broken arm busy and making up things to do with a child with one hand in a cast.

August: I worked through July and August at this interior design firm. It was one of the best experiences I will carry with me.

September: A trip to the family before I started my new driving job...brothers and parents and all the kids under one roof. It was chaotic but so much fun like only family can be. And more Korean was being learnt in the household. I started my 100 mile a day drive this month!

October: Parents came! Babs birthday! Hubs birthday! It was all so fun and so busy. October sets off the busy time of the year with every weekend all the way to the end of the year being booked. We also squeezed in a Cowboys game among everything. A first time visit to the amazing Cowboy Stadium in Arlington.

November: We went to a Kansas State Home game. Thanks to our K-State friends. It was the best game experience ever! It even trumped the Cowboys game. Being with fellow K-staters, screaming and cheering for your team cannot be compared to sitting and sulking at the Cowboys game. Plus we won! what a night. Thanks M and V. November also marked the last time G's bro and family would drive up to visit us. They moved out of the country to a funner place but that only made all of us super sadder!

December: There were parties to go to. Gifts to buy and wrap. Games to be played. Plum cake to be consumed. Cakes and cookies of different size and shape to be made and eaten. New coffee shops (Korean of course) to be explored. The winter snow on Christmas Day was priceless. No wonder that it is the most wonderful time of the year.

And that brings us to now...a year during which I hope to blog more. Write more. Spend time with my friends more. And keep in touch with all family as much as I can. I have to stop complaining and start living!

Love and Enjoy
ART