The Waltz

The waltz begins again
Even before the last dance has ended
A step forward
A step backward

Sometimes in tandem
Sometimes not
At times fumbling and hesitant
At others confident and sure

She looks at him
And all the old fears rush back
As she maintains composure
There is a torrent inside

The struggles have begun
She is torn inside
And she can walk away
She assures herself

She sees the signs
The pattern starts to repeat
Will she dance again
Will she be free

And the waltz begins again
Even before the last dance has ended
A step forward
A step backward

P.S: Wishing everyone A very happy and properous Diwali

P.P.S: God... I'll do the tag after this post...

Birthday and Anniversary

I just realized it was my blog's third birthday on 11th. And with each passing year I wonder how long will I last. Will I get bored and pack up and leave? As of now.. it hasn't happened.

On Friday, I will complete my one month anniversary of coming to the University. I have not only survived but have graduated to kneading dough and making pananthas to making paneer ki subzi. And I have started calling my apartment (notice the my) my home. Someone calls and I go like, "Oh! I am walking to my home" or "I'll be home this evening" or something like that. You get the point....

It seems a lot of things happen in October for me... I wonder why!

Girl Bonding, Brollies, Jane Austen, Sabzis and Studies

Amidst classes, presentations, seminars, books, cooking and socializing, I bring the latest updates...

Having flatmates from different countries means, we have interesting cultural exchanges, different eating habits and different languages. Over the last few weeks we have gone from saying polite Hellos and Goodbyes in the hallways to mid night chats, cute men-boys spotting at the uni to making plans for travelling in the Christmas break! I, for one, have had problems with catty women, bimbos etc. and for the first time I have actually bonded with women.

And I have also found that when it rains and the shoes and jeans get wet, never keep down the umbrella to the side and roll up the jeans. Because gales in this part of the world with take away your beloved umbrella and you will be running half a kilometer to catch it, wearing a coat and carrying a huge rucksack and generally making a fool of yourself. Eventually the wind will put down the brolly in the middle of a traffic intersection, bringing the traffic to a halt and you will then retrive the offending object while mumbling sorry.

Another day when I can hear the chilly wind beating the windows, happy that I am inside the warm apartment, I will envision myself to be a chef. And will makes aloo-beans, mixed vegetable, dal, rice and whip up a yummy raita. I will eat like a glutton and then proceed to fall asleep!

While we are at the topic of chilly winds and gales, I always get reminded to English classics whenever I think of gales, moors, rolling green fields, rain and elegant ladies. I have got hooked onto this Drama called 'Lost in Austen'. Its about a young Londoner swapping places with Elizabeth Bennet in Pride and Prejudice. The purists would probably baulk at it but I find the series very creative, witty and funny. Its interesting how you anticipate something and the complete opposite happens and all the characters in the book are doing what they are not supposed to do! In case you can access it online, do watch it here.

While I entertain myself watching the above, I notice a whole stack of books and notes in front of me but I am uninspired to read until the deadline looms in front of me. In which case, I will be up the whole night trying to study. Looking at other students in the class who have come fresh from under graduate studies and who take copious notes in the class, I wonder if I have missed out on some important bits. It would be also interesting to note how they would behave like scared lambs, quite unsure of themselves. And it reminds me of how I was at that age. And that's when I begin to feel old!

More updates will happen as days go by.... Till then... Cheers!!

Tagged for twenty

Heylo everyone! I've finally moved to my university and have been meeting people from across the globe which is so exiciting!! After shmoozing with all the new people and trying Irish céilidh dance, Salsa and other new things, I am back on blogosphere..

I got tagged by Sindhu and here goes my twenty-

1. If your lover betrayed you, what will your reaction be?
I would be shocked at first and then I would walk away and never forgive that person

2. If you can have a dream to come true, what would it be?
Win a booker prize for a novel which I write

3. Whose butt would you like to kick?
Right now... no one's

4. What would you do with a billion dollars?
Travel across the world, invest some, give some to my family, buy all the creature comforts that I can... :)

5. Will you fall in love with your best friend?
Ooh... Maybe...

6. Which is more blessed, loving someone or being loved by someone?
This one is a no-brainer... being loved is a blessing...

7. How long do you intend to wait for someone you really love?
Depends which alter ego of mine takes over - the practical one or the romantic one...

8. If the person you secretly like is already attached, what would you do?
Wait for him to break with his current girl friend and make my move (nah! just kidding)
I'll keep it platonic...

9. If you like to act with someone, who will it be? your gf/bf or an actress/actor?
An actor.. for sure...

10. What takes you down the fastest?Turn off?
Smoking, Lying, Cheating, Showing-off

11. How would you see yourself in ten years time?
Journalist, Writer,Photographer, Wife, Mother

12. What’s your fear?
Dying at a young age

13. What kind of person do you think the person who tagged you is?
Sweet, dreamer and a romatic.. Am I right, Sindhu? :)

14. Would you rather be single and rich or married but poor?
I don't mind being either...

15. What’s the first thing you do when you wake up?
Stop the annoying alarm clock!

16. Would you give all in a relationship?
Of course

17. If you fall in love with two people simultaneously, who would you pick?
I don't think I can fall in love with two people at the same time... Though I have no idea what I would do...

18. Would you forgive and forget, no matter how horrible a thing someone has done?
No...never

19. Do you prefer being single or having a relationship?
I see the perks of both.. I can't decide one

20. List 6 people to tag

I think almost everyone I know is tagged, but if you are not then I tag you

Also I tag

Moai
TD
Niceguy

Landed in London and finding India here...

A quick post to let you know that I have landed in London. It was sooo cold yesterday (almost like winters) but I decided to 'brave' the rain and chilly wind to meet a couple of friends for a Friday night dinner, learnt a bit of Spanish, taught a bit of Hindi, was promptly treated to Indian food and passed by a gay bar which was playing the song 'main talli ho gayi'!

Update (8th Sept)
The weekend was spent eating spicy South Indian food and discovering kaantey wali lichees from Africa and spending a lovely afternoon catching an exhibition on old Ramayana manuscripts which were discovered by Prince of Mewar followed by hogging mexican food at Giraffe.

I'll update more as the first few weeks go by...

Till then, cheers!!

Baby, I am on fire!!

So today was the first day I actually cooked! I made rice for the first time and no it didn't get burnt. I totally rock or what!

Being a closet feminist I have this great fear that for the rest of my life I'll have to thanklessly cook not just for myself but for a future husband and kids (Hint: Any chefs out there? Maybe I can marry you). I don't want to get stuck in the cycle I was hoping to delay my foray into the kitchen as much as possible but well I had to do it someday. And today it was.

Anyway, the date for leaving is coming closer. Its exactly a week now. And like all desis my suitcases are full of things like pressure cooker (of which I am intensely afraid of) , masalas and ladoos (which my cousin made for me).

And my ex-colleagues who very sweetly gave me a farewell party and loads of gifts like an ipod Nano and a beautiful wrist watch which shows dual time and the support staff gave me a wonderful parker pen.

And no, the gifts don't stop there. My friends gave me a gorgeous blue top and a collage of our photographs.

And my shiny new laptop is waiting for me in London.

And i'll update this post as more things happen.

Till then adios!

Update (Sept 3, 9.00 A.M): Leaving in 24 hours :O