This is lasting longer than I thought...

Sometime last year, my husband pointed out something to me which at that time had infuriated me a little (I don't take advice - good or bad - very well), but as much as my pride would not allow me to admit it then, he was actually right. He had told me that I don't seem to be truly passionate about anything, except my work perhaps, and that I should find something to do that will help me feel more fulfilled beyond the workplace.  It was true; I had spent the better part of my childhood and teens immersed in books, taking my education perhaps a bit too seriously. I was busy being ambitious and while that is somewhat second nature to me and I don't really resent that, I neglected developing a hobby or an interest, a passion for something that I held really close to my heart.

So I decided, that perhaps the husband was right after all, and as I get more and more sucked into the madness and mundaneness of work, I felt that I should do something to develop myself on a personal front. Now I knew better than to start singing or dancing or painting, because I've honestly never exhibited any creative energy or skills of that sort. And thats when I started to blog. I have always loved to write but it took all these years to realize that Duh! I could blog! And more recently, I've gotten into this whole being-healthy thing. Only the other day I stood in the middle of what can only be described as sheer madness (a whole foods store on a Monday evening in New York city is mayhem!), waiting in an endless line just to buy some brown rice and quinoa. The reason why I describe it as such as ordeal is because I've reached a stage where if I see a long line at the register or a fitting room, nothing can tempt me to buy that pretty dress; I just tell myself I'll come back for it and leave knowing that I just saved myself 30 minutes in the day. 

I have had my share of interests and hobbies that have gone as quickly as they came, but, clearly this new interest of mine has stuck around a good deal longer than I (honestly) ever thought. And, I asked myself, why is it different this time? Is it because I'm older, more mature and my attention span is a bit longer now? Hell no! :) I think it's because this time I know that it's purely, absolutely about me. I have realized eating healthy or exercising or blogging (and how can I forget skin-care!) are some of the very few things that I get to do in a day that are not about a paycheck, or responsibility or obligations or expectations, but about me. And after three years of working, I'm beginning to appreciate the importance of something like that.

This post may be a bit premature, but for now I'm happy that I've found somethings to do that make me feel good about myself. So, if you're beginning to feel that work is taking over your life, then either rekindle your passion for a hobby or find something that you do just for yourself and see how much better that makes you feel!

When you have a desk job

Sometime last year I had to move to a new group at work. While the work was tremendously exciting, it also meant being under a lot more pressure, and with a free cafeteria at work, I dealt with it in the easiest way possible. I ate. And I ate some more. And before I knew it, I had gained a lot of weight, and how did I deal with it? Thats right. I ate still more.

Luckily for me, a visit from a fitter and slimmer friend jolted me back to reality. Seeing your physically fit friend from college, who may even have dropped a few pounds since, while you're on your way to tripling your waist size? Yeah, that usually does the trick! So I decided to take charge of things. I started to read up a lot of articles on health and fitness, but mainly I paid attention to things that I could do during the day at work that would contribute to my general health and fitness. Here are few things that I have started doing: 

• Don't ignore breakfast. Have a filling breakfast, no matter how busy you are, as it'll help you stay full (and more focused) all day long.
• Drink lots of water. While there are several theories on the net, the only reason why I recommend it, is that often, when you are thirsty, you sub-consciously think that you're hungry and eat to compensate. Drinking water regularly keeps you hydrated and also satiates your thirst so that you don't snack unnecessarily.
• Guzzle 'em green teas! Sitting at your desk in front of a computer all day can sometimes get monotonous and you may snack just to entertain yourself (those coffee breaks!). Having a cup of green tea at your desk that you can sip on while you work, will take the edge of your snack cravings and will fill you up with 0-calorie antioxidants and other goodies that boost your metabolism (something that you can really use in a sedentary job!). Oolong and Rooibos teas are also great for you. Take your pick!
• Snack healthy. I know this is so much easier said than done, but you must make a conscious effort. Fruits are usually good tasting snacks. Eating apples/pears/oranges is not only healthy but provides your body with a lot of fiber and keep you full longer. Nuts are also a good choice. They are protein-rich and sources of good, heart-healthy fats. Eating a handful of peanuts will keep you full for much longer than say a bag of chips. 
• Don't fall for the granola bar myth. I've heard from several people about how they keep a box of granola bars at work to snack on as they're supposedly healthy. However, pay careful attention to their contents. A lot of bars are loaded with sugar. I would switch them with real nuts if you're craving something crunchy. 
• Eat frequently throughout the day. Smaller "meals" spread over the day are more effective in keeping you full. Don't rely on just breakfast and lunch to keep you full until dinner. Instead incorporate other small meals as well and munch on healthy stuff every few hours.

Lastly, work out at least once a week, if you can't more often. Not only does it help you burn some calories, but the next time you reach for that cookie, you will recall just how much sweat you would need to break on the treadmill to burn all those calories! 

*Please note that I'm not an expert in diet/fitness. Take my advice at your own risk! :)

 

Out of sight, out of mind ...

Like most people living outside their country, I often struggle with the question of whether I would like to live in the US or in India in the long run. Which one is my real home? Now for some it is natural that they should feel the need to make a choice - perhaps because they're not very happy about where they're living, or are lonely and miss their home country too much. But in my case it's not. Because as the years have gone by, I have come to love this country, more so New York, and the lines have blurred a little between the country I grew up in and the country I live in now. So this need to know - where my loyalties are, or if deep down I have a favorite - is rather irrational. But, surely I must love one more than the other? Just a little?

So this time around when I visited India, I did some soul-searching. I treated my visit like a test-run of some kind, to see how I feel about the many things that those who have experienced the comforts of living in a developed nation typically complain about - like the weather, the traffic, the lack of organization, etc etc. I observed things a lot more closely and made mental notes of all the things that were good (the clothes are sooo lovely!) and those that aren't (what's with the constant honking!).

There were some strange things I noted. I did not once miss New York while I was there. Granted it was a vacation, but New York really felt like a distant planet, like it was another life, and it felt so far away and so unrelatable the moment I landed in India - what with all the noise and the chaos and the colorful boisterousness that makes India such a lively and interesting place.

I also did not complain about the things I thought I would. Often, when I'm in the US, I tend to compare the two countries, and say "Now if only India had something this good...". But what is strange is that we drove past the slums and old buildings of Mumbai ( a stark contrast to the plush and expensive New York buildings), I never once felt like saying 'Wow, New York is so much better!'. Everything, with all its flaws, seemed normal, and relatable and just fine.

So at the end of 3 weeks, I thought that maybe, I had found the answer. India had won. It was my real home, that once there I was so perfectly happy that I did not care how much "better" New York was.

That feeling did not last very long. As soon as I landed in New York, I felt oddly at comfort. You know the feeling when you return home from a vacation? No matter how wonderful your getaway was, you are just happy to be back in the security, familiarity and comfort of the place you live in? Thats exactly how I felt, driving back to our place amidst the New York bridges and the familiar buildings and the yellow cabs. And as I settle back in after my vacation, while I miss my family and such, I am perfectly at peace living in New York.

So I have concluded that it now seems like I have two homes now - both of which I am very fond of. I cannot possibly pick a favorite, but it appears, that when one's out of sight, the other immediately takes its place. To end with a cheesy line - home is where the heart is, and my heart is in two places and I have made my peace with it.

Hello from India!

This post is from India. Been here for the past 5 days or so. After the usual last minute harried packing and stuff, we were off to India on the 29th, in time to ring in the New Year with family.

Strange as it may sound, these days when I visit India, I almost feel like a tourist. It's not because I've been living out of India for a while, or because I want to pretend that it's alien to me now, but because India is so very dynamic and every time I'm here, I find it very, very changed.

Just the other day we went to a departmental store here. While, I'm very impressed with the new supermarkets and all the stuff you can buy here, I was somewhat alarmed to find Kellogs Special K cereal, Betty Crocker cake mix , Olay products, etc. in the store. Call me a hypocrite (who very much appreciates Special K otherwise), but I was suddenly yearning for the old India, where we had Indian brands and Indian food in every departmental or the corner-of-the-street-grocery store, complete with the familiar soothing smell of dals and soap and such. It's hard to explain the emotion, but I felt somewhat cheated - like India had suddenly changed on me while I was sleeping or something. And at the risk of sounding like a "stuck up NRI", I was suddenly worried that India would no longer be unique and that eventually everything would end up looking like a Walmart or Target.

While I was thinking these dismal thoughts standing in line for the cash register, I was told that freshly made dosa and idly batter was also being sold at the store, and suddenly I felt at ease . Somethings never change, and that's a real comfort!

Happy New Year everyone!

When squeezing wont help...

A few days ago, I watched a Youtube video on skin-care, where the woman advised cutting open a tube of moisturizer after you think it's over, to "scrape" a bit more of what's left. I must admit that I did think of such advice condescendingly, until one day I ran out of my face-wash. No amount of squeezing could get anything out of the tube, and not cleansing before my nightly skin-care routine is a complete no-no. So out of sheer desperation (and laziness to make a drugstore run) I decided to give cutting open the tube a try. And lo! Guess what I found?! More than 10-15% of the product. Right there in the tube. Thats at least 10% of my money that I did not see was there! And to think that year after year I've thrown this stuff away! What a criminal waste!

I cannot imagine why product companies wouldn't package their stuff in such a way that all of what was purchased could actually be used. Wouldn't that be a win-win situation for both the producer as well as the consumers? Or is there some evil marketing strategy behind this? It also occurred to me that perhaps beauty product companies are the worst culprits! I walk into the kitchen and I don't see wasteful packaging for my cooking oil, salt, yogurt, dishwashing liquid, detergent, etc. But my face wash, moisturizer, shampoo, hair gel, face mask, body lotion containers are all designed to waste.

What's worse is that not only is the consumer losing all this money, but it's just a terrible waste of resources. And if you interpolate, it's not just the resources sitting in that container either. I live in New York, where everything can be found within 10 metres and can be reached by walking, but imagine living in almost any other town in the US. Every time a woman runs out of her favorite face wash or shampoor or such, she gets into a car and drives at least a mile to the nearest drugstore/mall to get another one. So in say every 10-11 such visits, she could easily be making one unnecessary one where she's wasting fuel, and perhaps a plastic bag or two, in addition to her money. Of course in reality she could also be doing her weekly groceries at the same time, but hey! how many of you haven't driven to a store just 'cuz u ran out of the only shampoo that won't frizz up your hair?.

Anyway, my point is, that it isn't cheap to get the most out of your purchase, so squeeze away, cut away, slice away - 'cuz not only are you getting your money's worth, but you're also helping the environment a little every time you do that.

P.S: Republished with a photo for added effect ;)

I'm thankful for...

For those who are still following my blog, my apologies for not having written a post in a long, long time. It's not because my enthusiasm for blogging has waned, but it's just that I'm one of those people who cannot write unless they feel passionately about penning down certain thoughts. So, I shall come out clean and let you know that I'm a somewhat "moody" blogger, who wont do posts just to keep 'em coming regularly, but will most likely post erratically.

Looking back, it's not like in the past several months I haven't had any interesting experiences or ideas. It's just that I have become so busy that I don't take the time to "muse" about them.

And this is where that-time-of-the-year comes in handy. Joy is in the air (and for avid shoppers, in every store), and I just had a great Thanksgiving (thanks to T and P), and all the good food and the R&R did give me an opportunity to look back at my life and think of all the good things that have happened this year. Here are a few:

1.. A great summer. My parents paid us a visit and we finally did our dream, family trip to Disneyland. I'm eternally thankful for a family that spoils me rotten :D.

2. Our vacation to Europe. It was the first time in my life that I'd actually travelled to the countries that I dreamed about visiting as a child.

3. Moving to Manhattan. After 3 years of working in New York, we finally moved to Manhattan. And yes, everything they say about Manhattan is true.

4. Friends. Having great friends like T, Butterfly and M. Here's to yet another year that we've continued to be best friends. After graduating, my big fear was that we'd slowly drift apart, but 9 years later, we're still going strong!

5. And last but not the least, the loving husband. There are of course all the big and important things that I love about him, but it's the little things that are so endearing - like the way he holds me real close under the umbrella when it's raining to keep me warm and dry, or the way he'll never let me skip my turn or give up when I suck at pool..or bowling..or video games...or just about anything else. You're my rock, sweetheart!

And then, of course, it wouldn't be true to my nature to not complain...well just a little bit.

OK, so it's my hair. This has been the year of bad hair. Actually make that terrible. One disastrous haircut after another - I'm a victim, guys! I'm yet to meet a stylist, who won't, for the love of God, insist on cuting a "frame" around my face, just to have my hair curl up all the way to my ears and make me look like a frazzled mother of 3. Hopefully next year will bring me my dream hair stylist...ah.

Thats pretty much it. I must admit, that though I sound a lot more positive in this post, I'm not one to always focus on things I have over the things I don't. But as I grow older, I want to emulate my mother. She has set us the perfect example of someone who's always focused on, and been content with what she has, and that's what has kept her, and those around her, very happy. She's my role model and this post is an attempt to becoming someone like her.

P.S: It does make one happy to focus on the good things, even if only for a few fleeting moments; so I invite my readers to post comments about what they are feeling thankful for (and if they can recommend a good hair stylist in New York)

Amy Winehouse

Barring her appearance and eccentricities, I think she's a mighty talented artist. I can't seem to stop listening to her song, Back to Black (my favorite from album of same name) for some reason. I first started listening to Amy Winehouse after Rehab won the Grammy last year to see what the big deal was. Gotta admit that the first few times I listened to her music, I didn't exactly fall in love with it, but it does grow on one. Her songs are so very soulful. Oh, and I don't see why Rehab won the Grammy for Best Song, and not Back to Black.