Today , I thought I should get back here. I started off checking if the people whose blogs I tracked are still around and was rather happy to find all of them still going strong. I started thinking of what to post and decided to begin with why I was away for so long. And even though it might not be of interest to anybody, maybe someday when I come back and look at my blog, I’ll know what kept me busy.
I somehow knew I was made to live the fast life where you are constantly on the move, doing something all the time and when you find a moment to sit back, you are amazed at how time flies. The two years of work life in Mumbai was as fast as it got. All I can remember is the constant running around. Even though I hardly got time to sit back and relax, I loved my life. Coming to the USA, living in a small town like Stony Brook, things were very different. Apart from school, there was not much I was up to. Even though the one and a half year stint at Stony Brook was hectic, I could safely say I had time on hands. When I graduated and knew I was headed to NYC, I was happy. I loved the city. I loved the pace. I embraced the opportunity to be in one of the world’s most spectacular cities whole-heartedly and am on a roll.
For me, the best part about NYC is its metropolitan nature. And that means you have variety in everything – the people, the culture, the food and so on. And I think I am soaking it all up.
When I saw the Latinos salsa, I knew I wanted to sway like them, dance with attitude and style. It’s been a year since I started learning and I am just beginning to catch the beat .
Getting fit was always on the agenda. I finally put the plan into action. I knew I couldn’t sustain the “running on a treadmill” ritual. I definitely get bored easily. Explored a few options and then finalized a boxing club to join. Have been at it for around 6 months now and apart from the amazing feeling of increased strength and stamina, it has done wonders for my confidence levels. And now sky is the limit. There was a time when all I wanted to do was to get some exercise. Now my demands have increased. Recently one of the trainers at my club told me I was getting better and soon I would be in the ring, sparring. I wanted to do my victory dance, but decided it was too silly to go with my macho image :D
And then there was the “falling in love” part of the story that completely changed my life. Well, it wasn’t that dramatic, but I could see my priorities change. The total maniac that Ashley is, he turned me into one as well. There’s never been a single idle moment for the past year and a half. We hiked, skied, ran, danced, rocked, painted homes , played community gardeners, cleaned beaches, fine tuned cooking skills , seriously took up the idea of being “green” and what not! Being together still feels magical :). With Ashley came heavy metal. Though I knew I was an open minded person when it comes to trying out new things, I never thought metal was my thing. But soon I found myself swooning over the guitar. I decided to learn how to play the guitar. Although, with my poor musical skills coupled with an overwhelmingly tight schedule, it’s going super slow, I know one day I’ll be playing “Tornado of Souls”. That’s how compelling the music is.
Another lovely thing that happened to me was Stephanie Gordon, the 17 year old from the Bronx, whom I am mentoring. Thanks to her, I now know what it feels like to be a parent to a teenager! If she’s a brat, it’s just a phase. Blame it on the age. I am sure Stephanie will turn out to be a smart, mature, creative and totally charming adult.
It feels like yesterday when I was in Stony Brook trying to meet a submission deadline, sneaking time in between to make another blog post. One of my wise friends said , if you think time’s zipping past you, it only means you are happy. I couldn’t agree more.
