2013 - The year that was..

As we (A&I) say goodbye to the year 2013, I am both happy and looking forward to the new year. I dont know what word would be apt and appropriate to describe 2013 . It has been a year of challenges, new responsibilities, breaking the jinx and dealing with rude surprises. Through the months I can see how circumstances have shaped us and where we stand right now (which is not bad actually).

On the bright side we bought a home together. At first, I was just excited about our new place but now I can really see and experience how a home can change your life for the better. I love the space in my new kitchen and it makes me want to cook and try new recipes more.

Family & friends visit, this year we had a lot of family and friends visit us. My mom, dad and sister were all here at different times of the year that made us feel good and not lonely. KC came to visit in February. We have also made some great friends this year, staying away from our family in India this is very important to us.

Oh yes, I almost forgot about this trip, We made a trip to Wallowa Lake in Oregon. The mountains are so beautiful they are called the Swiss Alps of Oregon.

I worked for the very first time in the US this year. In June, I worked as a Marketing and SEO Intern at OpenSesame in Portland. It was a different experience working for a startup and small firm. I enjoyed it. I broke the jinx of not finding work !!! And since I did well and achieved my targets through summer, they also rewarded me with a bonus, which came as a big surprise. Used it all to pay for some part of my student loan.

We made two big trips outside Oregon this year. The first one was to San Fran on July 4th, went to watch the fireworks, met some rude people on the streets, metup with an old school friend from Australia, went to Stanford ( made a vow to have more student debts in the future ;) ), ate some good indian food and came back to Oregon. The second one we went with Dimpu to Vegas, GC, and San Diego. It was a good trip thoroughly enjoyed it.

We did Thanksgiving for a second year in a row at Kevin-Olya's apartment. We are blessed to have such good friends like them.

This year I have also learnt a lot about my body. I am learning how to eat right, stay fit and really accept it for what it is.

I also organized three baby showers this year. Yes, three. It was a lot of hardwork but fun.

Highlights of the year:
* Made some great friends.
* Started my home baking business of cupcakes. I made at least $500 in sales this year.
* Got my first job in the US at OpenSesame.
* Bought our first home together.

2014, I hope to be
* a more mature person.
* cut others some slack.
* more responsible for things that i can do something about.
* learn to love my body more each day
* never regret a single decision
* give everything I do my best

It's Christmas time..

It's my favorite part of the year "Christmas". Though I have been brought up in a Hindu household, we have always celebrated Christmas as my sister and I went to a Christian school, loved watching Christmas movies and loved christmas trees.

Ever since I moved away from home ( Chennai, India), I have started to remember the good times and things we used to do during various holidays. As a young kids my sister and I loved going to the Christmas bazaars in the city. Shooting ballons with pellet guns, playing silly santa games , eating plum cakes and setting up our christmas tree was some of the favorite things for me. But among all, I loved to watch the Christmas movies on star movies. Every december is when our school has half-yearly examinations, coming home after the exam around lunch, I would switch on the TV, get some food on my plate and I was hooked. I guess I used to enjoy watching these movies as most of them had images of snow, decorated christmas trees and santa claus. It never snows in my city and to watch all this made me feel magical.

I still believe Christmas is magical. As we grew older we stopped believing in Santa Claus. Stopped dreaming. I happened to see this video of an airline called West Jet how they gave all their customers on a flight what they wished for christmas. As I watched the video I thought to myself, what would I have asked for if they asked me what I wanted for Christmas. Would I be true to myself and tell them? Becoming an adult often times means losing the kid within you, You dont do silly things anymore, dont dream, dont do things spontaneously and the list is long.. One thing I want to revive or do consistently is DREAM. Dream about what I want to achieve, things I want to do, goals I want to accomplish. As a young child I had no problem doing this, I used to dream big without limits. These days logic gets to me and I start analysing and stop dreaming. This quote by Harriet Tubman sums it up beautifully, " Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience and the passion to reach for the stars and change the world."
This Christmas I wish for you all to be big dreamers. There is no greater joy than seeing your dreams come true.

Courage

What is Courage?

Courage is to wake up each day and move on. Move on and do the same things again that did not work the first or second time. To start believing once again it will work.

I particularly recall the story of Suleikha Jauoud a 22 year old whose life was affected by cancer. That did not prevent her from achieving what she dreamed of doing. She says in her columns that she always dreamed of being a journalist, traveling places and finding stories. But here she was 22 year with leukemia and cancer. I bet if I was in her position all I would do is moan and cry. But Suleikha, started to blog about her experiences as a young adult with cancer. She soon started to write about her experiences in the New York Times in a column called Life, Interrupted. She still does. Just this month, her video series Life Interrupted was nominated for the Emmy Awards 2013 and it also won.

WOW, is all I could say thinking about her story. It is nice to just read about someone like Suleikha and think they got luck.

Today is Hallowen, I vow that today is the last day when I shall be afraid, I will move ahead into the future living one day at a time and giving my best each day. It makes a 'Big' difference to wake up, give your best at work and personally and be confident. The past few  weeks have been dull, I have lacked confidence in myself. I have to get back to who I used to be. 

Adelaide

Have you wished you could study in a city where different cultures live together , the perfect place to relax and also have a great time with friends, spend a lazy afternoon on the beach, sip a glass of wine and take in the beauty of the beautiful landscape before you !

Don’t wish anymore just come to Adelaide, the capital city of South Australia. Host to around 32,000 international students embracing opportunities to be had in a modern Western metropolis, working alongside world’s most influential companies and being a part of a multi-cultural society.

Adelaide has some of the best universities in the world. The University of South Australia, University of Adelaide, Carnegie Mellon University, TAFE, Flinders University are some of the universities in the city offering a variety of courses and degrees to choose from. Many Nobel prize winners have also emerged from some of these institutions. Dr.J.Robin Warren won the Nobel Prize in 2005 for Medicine. He was a graduate of the University of Adelaide. Two of the world’s premier universities Carnegie Mellon and also University college London have signed an agreement to set up campuses in Adelaide.

For more information on studying in Adelaide please visit: www.studyadelaide.com

Tomorrow I am going to focus on what makes Adelaide different from other Australian cities!

Power...

You might be a politician and have the power to change policies or you maybe a school teacher and have the power to keep your students...But whoever you maybe you do not have the power to make someone LOVE you.

I define LOVE here in this context as not only between two people of opposite sexes but also between friends, family, colleagues, siblings, and the like. Isn't it strange that you can move mountains for a person but that person is so blinded by the pollution of the world that he cannot see your love or cannot feel it. Have you ever been in a situation like this? When you feel you just wished you had the power to make someone love you, see the care that you show, feel the pain that you feel for them. ?

It is said "That an act of Love done today is the Blanket that will Warm you tomorrow" . Nothing is ever lost in this World. All that you do today will reap you benefits not today but in the years that come. The feeling of helplessness when someone who you care so much for ignores you and dosent seem to respond to you is felt by everyone of us atleast once in our lives.

The only solution to such feelings is to let life take its course.....
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Role of Film Critics

Just the other day I read a review of one of the latest Bollywood flicks to hit the theater. The review was very biased. It was on the whole doing only one thing criticizing every aspect and every angle of the movie. The critic also commented on the lead actress's weight , saying she was too fat . I was taken aback , cuz when I went to watch the movie I was expecting something disastrous and to my surprise it wasn't so bad.

I got thinking as to whether critics can make such harsh statements about movies just because they have a right to do so. A film is a work of art and some may like it and some may not ! Critics these days have a right to influence people - as to which movie is good and which is not and hence Box office ratings are badly affected. It is a rare sight to witness box office hits , long gone are the days where the film industry used to produce one hit every month that used to run for more than 2-3 months.
Critics do have a major influence on the minds of people. They should therefore watch their words, and write in a neutral way rather than being biased on either side positive or negative. Each individual is different and what appeals to me need not necessarily appeal to you.

Plight of a Woman !!!!

Pooja Chauhan - A name that stands for strength and Courage , according to me . Pooja , 22 year old house wife in the conservative Rajkot district of Gujrat , dispelled her anger and frustration in a different way from how other people do.

Unable to tolerate the continuous torchure for dowry by her in-laws and her husband , and also the deaf ear of the police . Pooja walked in her undergarments to the police station at Rajkot to draw the attention of the police and the law. Pooja in an interview said she did this to embarras her in-laws and her husband !

The question here is : Is it necessary for an Indian Woman to be heard only when she strips half naked in front of others ?? Why isnt the Government and the Law Enforcing Authorities not doing anything to listen to the plight of our people?

This made National Headlines and her pic was carried in all the newspapers and leading magazines !!!
Why is it that only when there is a show of flesh and blood does the Government and Media respond so quickly ??

The solution i think lies in the people in the LAW to be more sensitive and react to the needs of the people before they resort to such extreme measures .