Life is too short

At last! My life is returning to some kind of normalcy.
It's been a hectic month- all started off with our clients who came to visit for a little over a week, an ISO audit that we barely managed to escape, frantic Christmas shopping, a long trip to Bangalore for a wedding, a long trip back to Bombay, and another trip back home to Goa two days after I'd got back to Bombay. Whew! Talk about a busy life.

There's so much I have to blog about but haven't had the time. I seem to have lost touch with reality this December- it's just been a whirlwind of doing things, thinking about things that need to be done, making lists of things to be done... and forgetting most of them in the bargain :)

Christmas has come and gone... our entire family was together in Goa after about two years, so we had a great time. Of course, it was a short trip- just two days. Anyhow, my Mom was thrilled. And she fed us every moment of the day, ostensibly to 'fatten us up'. She thinks we starve in Bombay. In a way, yes. Nobody cooks like Mom :)

We decorated two Christmas trees at Rave. On the 23rd afternoon. Still, a late tree is better than no tree. Take a look: http://www8.brinkster.com/aldrin/rom/

Now I'm back in Bombay and things have quietened down. I think I'll spend the last three days of this year getting my life in order. I have tons to do- life is too short...

Have you ever seen the morning
When the sun comes up the shore
And the silence makes
A beautiful sound
Have you ever sat there waiting
For the time to stand still
For all the world to stop
From turning around

Life Is Too Short- The Scorpions

Our Best Friends Wedding

Tomorrow, Pea Pod (www.peabee.blogspot.com/) and I travel to Bangalore for our friends wedding.
It's a 22 hour journey by train- we leave Bombay at 8 am. And we haven't even packed yet.
Though I've already loaded my MP3 player with suitable songs :)

Hers is a fairytale story- and I shall tell you some other time, after I get permission from the fair maiden herself ;)
Now, if all of us had fairytale endings...

It promises to be a very exciting experience. Will be back in Bombay on Tuesday...
Expect a report sometime then...

Thank you for the music

I finally bought myself a Christmas gift. A Casio CTK-551 keyboard. 100 rythms, 100 instrument tones, touch response keys...

I'm really excited about this- I can finally go back to playing music.
I formally learnt piano years and years ago, and actually answered the Trinity College exam till Grade 3. Then I gave it up due to school work.
But still kept in touch on our Yamaha organ at home, in Goa.
When I moved to Bombay, my limited skills rusted in peace...and now, I finally have a chance to re-learn.

I am still very, very rusty, and so far, I can play a rather sorry version of Last Christmas... but I'm getting there.
When I go home for Christmas, I'll be sure to bring my music books back.

Right now, the folks in my building are treated to bad versions of Wham's Last Christmas, Whitney Houston's Saving All My Love for You, The Eagles Girl from Yesterday and the first movement of Fur Elise.

As I said, I'm getting there...

What women want

Recently, there was another acid-throwing incident in Bombay. They are becoming fairly common nowadays- a guy usually gets his friend to throw acid on his (ex) girlfriend and disfigure her because she doesn't want to marry him. What a cowardly and sick act!

And they call themselves men? Maybe... but they are not Real Men.
Real Men do not resort to cowardly deeds. They take it bravely, get drunk for a day or more, and then get on with their lives. They do not resort to steps like these, or any of the other idiotic ones like threatening to commit suicide, poison themselves, and other such pathetic plans.

What do we, as women, want? We want Real Men. We want:

- Men who not cowards, but are not ashamed to admit that they're scared sometimes
- Men who are not afraid to cry
- Men who are not afraid to admit defeat
- Men who do not emotionally blackmail/abuse women they claim to 'love'
- Men who are not obsessive about the woman they are in love with
- Men who are not insecure and give a woman her space
- Men who do not behave like children
- Men with responsibility
- Men with manners
- Men who genuinely look after you when you're with them
- Men who do not call you a million times a day and want to know your every action
- Men who hold the door open for you
- Men who do not sulk
- Men who have got into at least one fight in their lifetime
- Men who stand up for you in public, even if you're wrong
- Men who do not try to change you into something you cannot be

Is that too much to ask for?
I know a few Real Men.
Where are all the others?

Deck the halls...

The first of December is here. Finally!
Personally, this is my favorite month of the year. It gets you into that holiday mood and Christmassy feeling. Where everything is bright and warm and happy. And you are constantly in good spirits. At least I am...

I woke my building up today with Christmas carols. Well, I hope I did. Heaven knows the music was loud enough. And I am trying to spread Christmas cheer, so blaring carols was not a Bad Thing.
Have you heard Mariah Carey's All I want for Christmas is you? That's not exactly a carol, but it's one hell of a song. A Christmas song, if you will.
I suspect that the residents of my building will soon know the lyrics.
Or they might ask me to vacate. Nah, it's Christmas- they can't do that.
Or, they might try to find out who I want for Christmas and gift him to me ;)

In any case, I am in a very Good Mood. And expect to remain that way for most part of December. So make the best of it and ask for favors now :)

24 days to Christmas...