Sunday, January 18, 2009

Going down

I don't like stairs much, y'know? Quite apart from my fear of escalators and heights, there's just something about stairs that I don't like. Especially the winding ones, or the ones that leave gaps between the steps. And then there's the fact that I am known to trip on stairs every once in a while.

I have always predicted that I will die by falling down some staircase and breaking my neck. This feeling has got worse in recent times. I rarely start down any staircase without feeling like I'm about keel over. And there's this cursed staircase in my house which doesn't have a banister, which I have to use fairly frequently - that one's the worst.

I wonder if I died by falling down the stairs in my last birth.

Thursday, January 15, 2009

I like...

Looking at clouds and trying to make shapes out of them.

Standing under a building when it rains at night and watching the rain through the lights.

Watching an ice tray fill.

Walking on the beach and collecting shells.

Smelling the earth after a shower of rain.

Snuggling under a blanket and watching a movie with the family.

Staying up till 5 in the morning chatting with friends.

Getting calls at midnight on my birthday from people who matter.

Having my foot being used as a pillow by my dog.

Going for a long drive with the family.

Catching the eye of a friend over a joke no one else gets and bursting into giggles.

Being greeted every evening when I get home by an over enthusiastic golden retriever whose tail won't stop wagging.

Going through old photo albums.

Having a good hair day.

This was easier than I thought it would be. And it made me feel good. :D

Tuesday, January 06, 2009

99 things: A meme

This should be fun.

Things you've already done: bold

Things you want to do: italicize
Things you haven't done and don't want to - leave in plain font

1. started your own blog
2. slept under the stars
3. played in a band
4. visited hawaii
5. watched a meteor shower
6. given more than you can afford to charity
7. been to disneyland/world
8. climbed a mountain
9. held a praying mantis
10. sang a solo
11. bungee jumped
12. visited paris
13. watched a lightning storm at sea
14. taught yourself an art from scratch
15. adopted a child
16. had food poisoning
17. walked to the top of the statue of liberty
18. grown your own vegetables
19. seen the mona lisa in france
20. slept on an overnight train
21. had a pillow fight
22. hitch hiked
23. taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. built a snow fort
25. held a lamb
26. gone skinny dipping
27. run a marathon
28. ridden a gondola in venice
29. seen a total eclipse
30. watched a sunrise or sunset
31. hit a home run
32. been on a cruise
33. seen niagara falls in person
34. visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. seen an amish community
36. taught yourself a new language
37. had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. seen the leaning tower of pisa in person
39. gone rock climbing
40. seen michelangelo's david in person
41. sung karaoke
42. seen old faithful geyser erupt
43. bought a stranger a meal in a restaurant
44. visited africa
45. walked on a beach by moonlight
46. been transported in an ambulance
47. had your portrait painted
48. gone deep sea fishing
49. seen the sistene chapel in person
50. been to the top of the eiffel tower in paris
51. gone scuba diving or snorkelling
52. kissed in the rain
53. played in the mud
54. gone to a drive-in theatre
55. been in a movie
56. visited the great wall of china
57. started a business
58. taken a martial arts class
59. visited russia
60. served at a soup kitchen
61. sold girl scout cookies.
62. gone whale watching
63. gotten flowers for no reason
64. donated blood
65. gone sky diving
66. visited a nazi concentration camp
67. bounced a cheque
68. flown in a helicopter
69. saved a favorite childhood toy
70. visited the lincoln memorial
71. eaten caviar
72. pieced a quilt
73. stood in times square
74. toured the everglades
75. been fired from a job
76. seen the changing of the guard in london
77. broken a bone
78. been on a speeding motorcycle
79. seen the grand canyon in person
80. published a book
81. visited the vatican
82. bought a brand new car
83. walked in jerusalem
84. had your picture in the newspaper
85. read the entire bible
86. visited the white house
87. killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. had chickenpox
89. saved someone’s life
90. sat on a jury
91. met someone famous
92. joined a book club
93. lost a loved one
94. had a baby
95. seen the alamo in person.
96. swum in the great salt lake.
97. been involved in a law suit
98. owned a cell phone
99. been stung by a bee

This would be more fun if I had the time to add my comments on each of these, but such is life.

Thursday, January 01, 2009

In retrospect

So my New Year sucked. Well, the stroke of midnight was fine, but the day's been pretty lousy. And considering my mum's always believed that your year will go the way the first of the year goes, you can bet my 2009 is going to be just dandy.

Having said that, 2008 was an interesting year. Plenty of firsts, if nothing else.

My first job, my first experiences of work related travel, my first travels alone.

My first trip to Kolkata which wasn't just about visiting relatives. My first holiday in Bombay. A quick trip to Goa where I did nothing but attend a wedding and work in the hotel room, but where I did manage to fit in my experience of parasailing. Which by the way, was completely terrifying and exhilarating at the same time. I had no intention of going up (have I ever told you how freaking terrified of heights I am? Seriously, even standing on a chair makes me dizzy), those guys pretty much just grabbed me and wrapped me up, and sent me up, and I was so freaked out that even the guy who goes up with you could sense my paranoia. But at that one moment, when we were turning back and the boat pulling us stopped for a split second, and I looked out west with my heart in my mouth? I saw the sun actually go down, and that moment made it totally worth it. I'm never doing it again of course, but I'm glad I was forced to do it this one time.

I started using social networking a lot more this - last - year. I joined Twitter, started using LinkedIn rather effectively, and even started a second blog, which really does need a lot more attention from me.

2008 was also when I got a little more used to my brother being away from home. When I learned to manage my "finances" by myself (which isn't really much, considering I'm living at home, but it's a step!). When I learned a little bit more about going out and meeting people - professionally, that is. On the personal front? Still as clueless as ever.

I don't see that last bit changing in 2009, but here's hoping all of you have a wonderful year. A whole lot better than my first of the year was at any rate.