Symbol Of Hope - Etched!

Since college, I have wanted to do a few things in life. Getting a tattoo, tasting alcohol were on top of the list. Most importantly, it was the tattoo.

No peer pressure was involved for the thought to seep into my head. For that matter, coming from a small town, people wouldn't even think of getting a tattoo. But it was always at the back of my head, may be in my sub conscious if I can say that. And after college I moved to Bangalore, yes where I found myself in more ways than one. I started earning, being conscious on spending each penny.

Very few of my friends here had a tattoo. But they did. I was pondering since months on the design. If I am getting something etched in me, it has to be meaningful and something I love. And finally one day my ex-colleague got a huge tattoo done on her back. A huge Shiva. And that's when I got serious on the design. I wanted symbols of hope and faith, which didn't exist except in Chinese! No way was I going to get something done in a language that I cannot even understand, forget reading. A friend suggested a phoenix because it stands for hope. I did my own bit of research and fell in love with the phoenix. It was going to be a phoenix.

I got in touch with my artist friend and told him the whole story. He sent me the designs and after a few mails of editing, re-editing the design, I finalised one with the help of my friends. It had to be that design on my ankle. Oh yes! Choosing the place for the tattoo was another task. I didn't want it on my arm or shoulder - those were done to death places. And again it had to be a place where it would be visible to *me*. A definite confession would be that I also chose the place because of the tight skin, so that the process is less painful and when I grow old, the skin stays the same way :-D (my own logic)

As I put down my papers to join another company, I decided it had to be this time to get the tattoo done. A new chapter was to begin, had to commence with a bang! I found nobody who could accompany me that day to the tattoo studio, and I had got the appointment after much request. So I decided to head alone, only to find that a friend who stayed near the studio was excited to see the whole process. Sometimes I wonder how I got the strength to go ahead and take such a huge step.... Am so glad I did find the strength that day.

After a 20 minute session I was stamped with the phoenix just above my ankle. Just the way I wanted it. It had come out in such a perfect manner, it was a beauty.

I walked out so proud of myself that day. A dream, though small, fulfilled. I couldn't have been more happier. Waking up to this every day was like a magic potion. It just makes my day, even after 5 months. Sometimes I cannot believe I got it done. Every day I fall in love with it over and over again. Something that I'll take to my grave. Something I will never regret, though elders in the family still might not like it. After all, I got it done for *me* and not for the world to see.

I know it's a small incident, may be a negligible one for others, but not for me. It reminds me every day that it is all about taking that one step for anything. It reminds me that I am headstrong, I am strong, I am me, I am hope. It's one of the best things I could've ever done.

And this one was a latest find which I totally agreed to:

My Prince - 12

I would love to catch you singing in the kitchen, while trying to cook breakfast for me sometimes; or in general.... A sign of a music-loving couple, a sign of the melodious life we'll lead :)

My Prince - 11

When I tie my hair in a bun, and am involved in doing something, I would love you to open my hair when I'm unaware of it, just for fun. Small things like these will ensure a smile to both of us, wouldn't they? :-)

An Insatiable Thirst

I came across a blog today morning. About this guy travelling the world, 61 countries if I remember it right. Till he was broke and that's probably the reason he had to get back.

I didn't have a chance to go through it at all, except the latest post. And he mentions about how he has to stop travelling for a while. It made my heart break for some reason. Just the thought of not being able to travel, after someone has covered 61 countries. I don't know how he feels about it. I'm sure he is sad somewhere. But I would've felt handicapped if I had to stop doing it after such a long time.

It made my heart break, in a nice way probably. Made me think, made me realise how much there is to travel. And I haven't even started yet. Made me wonder why there are certain things in the world that make you think twice from doing something, especially travel. There's so much, just so much to see in the world, explore. 

It made me want to weep. Weep with the thought of how much I'm missing out on, by not travelling. How much I'm going to find, treasure once I do start travelling like crazy. How much there is of learning outside my comfort zone. How much I will connect to myself while travelling. Yes, I am counting my blessings and I do feel fortunate to have travelled how much I already have. But there is this urge, this insatiable thirst of going somewhere again. Not that I'm an out and out traveller, but I desire to be one sooner.

Which also arouses a hope in my heart that the person I spend my life with needs to have an interest in travelling. At least some amount of interest. I would love to see the world through another set of eyes, combined with mine. A different perspective every time we travel, even if it's the same, it'll be worth cherishing.

There have been only 2 weeks that we've entered the New Year. All I wish for is to travel like crazy this year - wish for me and for everyone around :-)

Travelling Realisations

As a child I had visited Chennai for may be two weddings. And as I grew up, I heard terrifying stories of how bad Chennai weather is. In my head it was synonymous with bad weather, may I say.


So when my sister said we'll cover Chennai - Pondicherry on a certain weekend, I was skeptical initially. But then I gave in thinking, "Let's not be prejudiced." Plus the thought of visiting Pondicherry after Chennai was alluring. To add to this, I felt really nice to sit in a train after long. I like the train lulling me to sleep.... it has that perfect rhythm :-)



So as I got down to the Chennai station, I was amazed by the size of it! Huge with the train lines coming to an end there. To make it more adventurous, we hadn't booked a hotel! So our plan was to go to Eggmore and find a hotel. And in a tucked away corner we found this decent hotel, in a much cheaper price. Only to find out later that it was at a walkable distance from Spencer Plaza :-D So off we went for some shopping in the Plaza and found an Antique stuff selling shop. I was amazed to see fountain pens from 100 years ago, pocket watches, cuckoo clock and what not! Something to mention would definitely be the Chettinad veg curry that we had in the Plaza. Gosh! It was so delectable! I can actually taste it while I write this! We headed to Marina Beach after that. I was tired to walk till the sea was actually in view! It was a really long walk! And for some reason the crowd on the beach didn't let me like the place so much....


Anyways, we headed to Sarvana Bhavan after the beach. I couldn't give it a miss or else I'd have to hang my head in shame! The place stands true to it's name for South Indian dishes. After having a yummy meal, how could we not order 'Filter Coffee'? :-) Oh yes! The waiters of Sarvana Bhavan are worth a mention. I'll say they make use of technology, the right way. They look like spies dressed up in black and white, have BlackBerrys to take an order. When I saw them, I hid my phone which was kept on the table ;-)


I was more excited for the Pondicherry visit the same night. I love that town, a small and simple one, tourists all around.With the stay being decided upon at a friend's place, it couldn't have been better. I went into 'disconnect' mode when in Pondicherry. A state I like to be in when on a vacation or even small trips. It gives me time - with me when alone, and with the people I'm travelling with, when in a group.


I was missing being near a water body since so long. Especially beaches. So Pondicherry was my hope. We rushed to the beach the next morning. As soon as I saw the sea, I felt at peace. It welcomed me, though it was a bit rough that day. I don't know what it is about water bodies that attracts me. I'm not scared, though I don't know how to swim. Anyways, so I couldn't resist feeling the sand, the water, waves lapping on my feet. I don't like to jump in to the sea per se. I just love that feeling of water and sand.


As I stood there looking at the limitless sea, waves playing around me, I realised later how much I was in the moment. That feeling of waves surrounding my feet and leaving made me realise the importance of being in the moment. And I was glad I try to do so every day - live in the moment. As the waves made me feel being in water, they also made me feel that they're taking away bits of me everytime they leave me. No, I wasn't upset about it. I was happy that somebody is taking away bits of me, and will take them to another place may be. I felt at peace being surrounded by those waves.


It struck me how important it is to disconnect with the world which is different from the actual one - the one dominated by nature, the one I find myself at peace. As I end this blog post while welcoming 2012, I really wish to travel like crazy this year, to see more to life, more to nature, to be more at peace :-)


Happy New Year people! Have an awesome one! :-)

What Women Need To Understand

While talking to a couple of guy friends recently, we started discussing relationships-women-their behaviour. And it struck me that women can be unreasonable, especially while in a relationship. I'm not getting into the marriage topic here!

You're in a relationship for not even a year or two, how the hell can you expect a guy to understand you or know how you will react to certain situations? C'mmon women, accept it. We are made of all sorts of emotions. Even we don't know how somethings can tick us off or how-when the same things will be fine with us. If you're irritated and you're guy is sweet enough to ask you what is wrong, you just cannot say, "You're supposed to know"! Wha! Even your mom won't know. I think it's easier if a woman accepts the fact that we are complicated. How much ever simple you are, there will be certain situations when you'll be 'complications personified'! And let's also accept the fact that men do not understand our complications, they only do after a certain period of time. A man deserves that much time and space. 

Or let's make it easier for both the man and the woman. Accept that men are from Mars and women are from Venus. There. Clear. People from two different planets *will* take time to get used to each other, especially when in a relationship. I'd say it's easier for women to understand men, but it's definitely not the other way round. A guy needs time, how much? We don't know. In a marriage it's different. The initial years are again an everyday surprise about the person as such (I find that to be good for some reason). And later on, when you've completed quite a few years together, you do get used to each other and probably find out how the person will react to what.

As women crib about men talking about space, men do about how complicated we can make things. And I do agree on that. These are just facts, which turn into cribs for us. Women need to breathe while men try and figure out what a woman is all about ;) Well, there's no certain answer to that boys. But women should be proud of what they're made of - emotions and rationality. Statutory warning: Now *that* ratio might vary. Okay, it does vary.

On a new voyage!

There is no doubt in my heart that a positive outlook to any and everything - big or small - works wonders. I am reassured every time. I try to keep an optimistic attitude, I feel I achieve it, I don't know if others feel so about me.


So as I was ready to join my new company, I realised that I wasn't nervous at all, like *at all*. I was excited to start afresh, thinking about the change and the new-ness in life. As I entered the new office early morning, there were only three people in. As I looked around the office, it was not very formal, which I liked. There are no cubicles, just desks - like study desks. And I started liking the place instantly. While I was dressed in semi-formals, there just was no dress code as such! 


All through the day, there was music playing. And *all* of them were my favourite tracks! And my favourite part is that there are laughs all around during the day. Gosh! It's like a sign,  a sign that I am at the right place. I like the chilled out ambience, and for a person like me what matters at work (apart from the money) is people and the environment. My colleagues welcomed me with such warmth, that I did not feel it's my first day. It was so usual that I couldn't believe it's my first day as well! I got a name on the first day itself by a colleague since he thought I am a Bengali! 


There's something different about creative spaces. The chilled out atmosphere here is amazing. I am basically liking everything about the new job. And don't be surprised if you find me smiling all through here :) The optimism that I had in my heart while starting this new journey has brought me happiness :)