Chinese Drama

Everyone who knows me has heard of my love for anything Korean. I get all sorts of gifts from friends visiting Korea while I sit here burning in jealously. The Korean drama pool in Netflix has dried up, I have seen everything that interests me and I need more, in search of something fun I landed up watching "Empresses in the Palace".

Now, it is Chinese. I am so used to the Korean sounds that getting readjusted to hearing Chinese language was very difficult. Throughout the 6 episode series I kept trying to hear and identify familiar words. I understand that Hwang (meaning Emperor) is the same in Korean and Chinese. Both languages call their princess very similar sounding...Konju/Gongzhu, so on and so forth.

What did I think of the drama? Loved it, loved it to obsession that I was lost when it ended after 6 short episodes. The twists and turns, every character having a grey shade in them, life as a King and that of the rest of the people in his palace, everything was eye opening. The details and the make up were amazing, the acting was brilliant and the scenes were all set up like postcards. The body language, the outfits, the facial expressions, I could go on and on. The story is captivating, several twists and turns, revenge, love, betrayal, loyalty, every aspect of a good winning recipe is captured and used in the right dosage.

Does this mean I will be making a shift to Chinese love?? Korea will always be my third love. Till Netflix adds more LeeMinHo, KangJiHwan, or EunYoonHye dramas, I will start looking around other parts of Asia.

Next Up Atelier - A Japanese drama...hopefully I will like to stick around past the second episode. I strongly believe that I need to give it at least 2 episodes before I call the show a dud.

A Chinese Drama Loving ART

Image Source: By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=44821647

It Happens

It always happens. I am open to accepting it but change always takes time to feel natural and real. Going back will not be difficult but caution will be exercised. Going through the change again won't be pleasant and the bridge might be burnt down forever...

Love
ART

Transition

The transition is small and subtle. There was a time when I used to smile remembering something that my husband did or said, I have even laughed out aloud just remembering snippets of my life. Then it changed to my baby. Things she said or did that brings a smile to my face in my mundane life. My husband still made me smile but my baby took over mind. Today, on my way driving to work I thought of a performance she was trying to do for us at home, it was funny, hilarious and cute but it made her laugh so hard which made it even more funny for the rest of us, she was being funny and silly and artistic at the same time. I started laughing aloud and it made me happy. I had somehow sometime ago transitioned from the love struck wife to a mother in love...

My baby precious!

And the Year is Winding Down!

Wow! Where did the time go? Where did 2015 go? The year brought in a lot of mixed emotions. It was not a great year like 2014 was but not a totally bad year too. If I have to give it marks, this would be a 2.5 out of 5, or a color, this would be light yellow, in food this would be the french fry. Things happened, life moved on but nothing earth shattering in my life. Work life saw one of the craziest four months ever. I still cannot believe that I endured it.

Babs is a year older and smart Alec-er. G and I are tugging along hoping to get health as an important factor in 2016. We gave up on 2015 long ago, G did try but every time he succeeded something pulled him back. I did not even try.

Well, a recap to keep myself sane...

January - Got Licensed in the state of Texas and Maryland. I was afraid of the exams and postponed it as much as I could. I am glad that it is over and that I got my time back. Which of course I did not put to any good use.

February - Celebrated Valentine's with Babs classmates at school, chaperoned Babs to her field trip and spent a couple of days cooped up in the house due to the famous Dallas ice/snow storm. We also had a lot of friends visit us at our house and started an impromptu jam session. Babs made me happy by singing "Main Tenu Samjhavaan..." with her Wawa.

March - I turned a year older. It was one of my best birthday party ever. My girl friends and I went to a restaurant for a slight snack and drink and then went dancing till they closed the club. We have so many great memories from that day. My BFF also visited me and took me out to get our nails done, in all a very relaxing day. We also played holi with friends in the park on a super cold day, spent another day at home due to the weather...and Babs said bye bye to her ice skating classes as her favorite teacher left the city.

April - Girish's cousin and family visited us. We took them around Texas, cooked a lot, ate a lot and got our Cowboy on! I also accompanied Babs on her field trip again and it was awesome hanging out with the girls in the zoo.

May - Babs and her best friend spent a day in Dallas downtown celebrating diversity at Klyde Warren Park and art at the Nasher Sculpture Garden. I spent a couple of days in Atlanta for the AIA convention and we got our travel visas for the big trip next month.

June - We left for our yearly international trip. This time it was France (Paris, Mont St. Michel, Balleroy, Normandy, etc), Greece (Athens and Santorini), Germany (Koln and Alsbach). Hanging out with family, eating and drinking, and being together with friends made the trip really memorable.

July - Started working on a back breaking project that put all activity in life to a zero. I did manage to squeeze in a trip with friends to stay in a ranch in West Texas. It was three days of lazing around, cooking, eating, singing, drinking and general fun times with friends. We also enjoyed fine dining with friends at Nobu,

August - Spent a lot of time with friends whenever we could get out. My parents came!!! It was awesome. They took care of Sanjana and me while I worked crazy hours.

September - More work craziness and parents helped keep my sanity. Babs and I went to the aquarium, which has now become a yearly tradition for us. We go there every time Girish goes to spend time with friends at US Open. Mom came to Nasher with us and Babs started her dance lessons. She was excited beyond limits.

October - Went to Arijit Singh concert, partied with friends, Spent a night at work, came home to celebrate Babs birthday, got a total of 2 hours of sleep in 48 hours. I crashed hard! We had a fun Halloween with Babs and our friends.

November - One more staycation with friends at a house by a lake this time. It was super fun, we once again relaxed as best as we could and came back to finish up the year. Had an awesome Diwali with friends. Babs wrote Hindi for the first time. We hung up the Christmas Decorations the day after Thanksgiving with Babs BFF Nicole had her mom. We also got to dog sit two dogs (Buddy and Jules) and it was an awesome experience.

December - Babs did her first Tae Kwan Do Competition and won bronze. She was very nervous and she did well. She also did her first ever Tennis tournament and finished as runner's up in the consolation round. Of course, none of us are ecstatic but a good start. Babs won a school award for a photo she submitted and a district level award for another photo of hers. She was super happy and so were we, Lot of backyard construction work, family came in, all 11 of them and the house was tested to its full capacity. We enjoyed long nights and discussions and arguments. I am sure I will miss it till the next big family get together. We did get Babs a karaoke set and now we (adults) seem to use it more than her. It is so much fun holding the mike.!!!

Looking forward to much more fun year ahead...

From ours to yours...Wishes for a very bright and prosperous 2016!

Love
ART