The Hiatus Explained

Author : Sruts      Blog :Somewhere I Belong... the path to finding me      Date: 3/5/2012 4:17:56 AM

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Ah! The number of posts that have begun with “I’ve been meaning to write, but…” I just ran out of excuses, so I’ve caved in and begun to type away.

How long has it been? A couple of months, at least. It’s already been nine weeks since I got back from my three week visit with the family back home (the one where I really come from. Bangalore), yet it seems like ages ago! Not too many things have happened since, but I’ve been a busybody, so there’s naturally a lot to talk/write about.

Let’s start with December ’11.

I was way too excited about going home after two and a half years that most of what happened during my preparations escape me. My family from Atlanta had driven over for Thanksgiving, and despite the typical Chicago chill, we had a great time. Seven of us packed in quite cozily into my little apartment, walking around the city, me boasting every step of the way, them smiling and nodding indulgently… I even took them to my office, where my brother had a ball of a time, once he was fed and watered. We had our Thanksgiving feast, and they left. I had no time for brooding because now I had to pack! And I did! I had a ton of shopping to do. Packed, unpacked and repacked everything before I was satisfied I was set.

I made sure I was armed with some GBP, because my layover of 4 hours was at Heathrow (have I mentioned I love Terminal 5??) and I intended to make the best of it. I was already rather taken over having flown over southern Ireland and a lot of England – seeing the rolling meadows, craggy cliffs, crashing waves, quaint little towns, and the gorgeous country side of the United Kingdom I knew why poets and authors were so inspired. I knew why I loved them.

My homecoming was as expected. Joyous, exciting, emotionally taxing. There was the expected talk of ‘marriage’ and I thank the sanity bestowed upon my Mum and Dad in this case, while I doubt that of everyone else. I’ve been left to my devices, to focus on my career and general self, which is such a relief at this point because I don’t think I’m ready for it!! Anyway…. a gazillion visits to the dentist, a sojourn with the parents, some quality family time, catching up with long lost friends, some expected some unexpected… it was all fun and joy, but I was rather glad to leave. Really!

As a Christmas gift to myself, I bought a Kindle Fire! No, I’m not cheating on my beloved bound books, I’m just keeping with the times. This does not mean or imply that I’m giving up physical books. I’m just going to be using both. Physical, bound books will forever remain my first true love, the one that lasts forever, while the eReader is just a mistress that may (or may not) lose it’s charm.

January ’12

I travelled half the globe ringing the New Year in on three different continents and over a dozen countries, the longest prolonged first day of the New Year for me. Felt good, somehow.

The month wasn’t uneventful, I must say. Chilling temperatures, raging winds, grateful for and then lamenting the lack of snow, wading through new restaurants, and Chicago’s winter offerings, actually succeeding in preparing some dishes that I thought only my mother could do, reading and more reading.

I think I did a bit of soul searching at this point. Nothing very serious, but I did find it necessary to rethink my priorities and realize why I am the way I am and why only few people understand that. Seriously, especially after the harsh slap of reality a few months ago that prompted my writing a poem, I fully believe in karma, more so now than ever before.

Owing to my renewed intentions of getting fit, inspired by the results of my previous self-imposed fitness regime last year (and the fact that I now pay a monthly fee for my gym ), I took to swimming. It felt sooo good to be back in the water! I didn’t realize how much I missed it till I stepped into the pool and did 40 laps in my first session! Naturally my muscles protested and scolded but I stuck with it. It’s been almost a decade since I partook in such intense swimming. It will take me a couple months to regain my previous form, but for now, I’m happy to be back in the water!

February ’12

A leap month, which bears no more significance to me than any other person who cares about the number of days in a year. I discovered Downton Abbey sometime in January, thanks to my having a Netflix account, and stuck with that obsession as I waded through a whooping 17 books in the first two months of the year! I didn’t expect to have such a good start, and now that I do, I hope I don’t lose it! I’ve been alternating between the serious books, which to me are the classics, and the quick reads, which include present day thrillers/mysteries and historical romances.

Significant changes in the lines of friendship… in the year of the dragon, no less. I can’t say I’m surprised by the outcome, but it does hurt when someone you’ve given your whole support to accuses you of being too ‘uppity’ to hang out with! Silliness, I say, because I know that the relationships worth keeping have sustained a lot worse and are still strong and rolling. I appreciate them more now.

I discovered some older authors that I’ve never read before, I’m rethinking my career path, planning out my list of ‘things I want to do before I die’ – I refuse to call it a ‘bucket list’ because I think it sounds lame – and falling in love with this wondrous city again.

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I know I’ve left out a lot of things, but this post was meant to just get me back into the writing mode. I admit that I’ve been paying more attention to my review blog (Words – Others & Mine) and it has worked wonders in my keeping abreast with my reading challenge(s) for the year. I expect to keep this blog up to date in the coming weeks, given that I do have a lot lined up this month, Riverdance for one. Yes! Riverdance! Not Michael Flatley‘s company, however, but another, and they’re coming to Chicago in two weeks. Can’t wait to finally see a live performance after all these years (beginning when I was maybe 10) of dreaming of it. And I’ll finally be in the city for St. Patrick’s Day! Also, now that I have a decent digital camera, I think I might take to re-exploring the city whenever I have the time.

Here’s to March being a fun and productive month!!

Filed under: Eagle's Flight, Espresso - Black Cream and Sugar Tagged: book reviews, books, downton abbey, ereader, family, friendship, home, kindle fire, new years, people, rants, reading challenge, relationships, riverdance, sojourn, travel, year of the dragon