Q: What happened to Shanthi’s blogging?
A : As soon as she started working, she stopped blogging.
Isnt this crossing across all your minds?
Frankly and honestly, the answer is a simple “yes”.
I have become busy.
Wait, that’s an understatement.
I have become crazily busy.
Sometimes, and yeah, am a human, sometimes I want to already quit. But the goal is “Take a break..but never quit”… Yes, that’s the golden rule I want to follow for a long time in my life now.
I have always wanted to do something else than being home. What is it? Well, despite being technically adept and academically sound, my soul never took off towards the mundane routine of a 9-6 job.
But here I am, happily stuck in a 9.30-whenever the boss says yes- time.
Yes, the great Indian effect.
People wake up after afternoon (not literally..but onto their PCs..yes)..and have the addictive chais and coffees to ward off the still-persistent lethargy and then get to work at that time, when the rest of the world is almost wrapping up for the day.
It’s not the time difference here..it’s the culture difference.
Ok..stop being cynical.. I shout to myself. I can’t go on like this.
Like what? Like the inevitable waiting time for my boss to approve a single liner.
I have learnt.. and how !
I tell him “ciao” over the local chat at exactly 5.45 pm, while he stares at the watch.
I look back at him and smile sweetly while thinking “What?? It’s 6 in the evening..i have kids”…
He gives a sad smiley over the chat box, while still giving the “going early than your boss” glares on the outside…
I smile even sweeter, say quick byes to everyone and head off to pick my babies, who are happily flirting with the little girls in their day-care.
So, rewinding the day, how does a typical day start for me?
Simple, at the horrible alarm going off at 5.30 am.
I give atleast 10 mins for the alarm to persistently wake me up. The first thing which comes to my mind is my mom, who has been my alarm for the first 20 years of my life.. and what a perfect clock she was.
More on my mom later… now, it’s the mom in me which has to wake, cook, clean, get the kids ready, get myself ready and get out in the hot sun, wrapped up like an Al-quaeda terrorist (a black shawl and two white gloves to ward off both the solar and the polar effects) And of course, not to forget feeding the fish.
Duh !! The first 10 mins of my morning are spent in absolute delirium, almost everyday getting tempted to go back to bed and tuck in with all the 3 men in my life. But, I refrain. Food is essential. And so is my work.
I draw the curtains… I feed the fish… I splash water on my face. I look intently at my image. I see nothing..maybe am still asleep. I wish !! and fervently wait for Friday nights.
Did someone wish for “2 days to work and 5 days to sleep?”
I am with you.. whoever it is.
After the usual cooking routine, I outsource the dabba-packing to the most reliable vendor, the husband. The kids wake up to follow the routine, and after a couple of hours of bathing, uniforms, bags and nature calls (not necessarily in the same order) .. I gladly wave goodbyes to my babies who are no longer babies, ofcourse, but who are busy eyeing pretty Anushkas and Nanditas in their own arenas. Huh..time flies??
Office is fun. Did I mention that? Ok..I have to admit this. I am enjoying the work. Creative days, lull days, furore days… there might be classifications..but yes, am happy to go to my work place, get a lot of stares from the unknown-testosterone zones, do a great deal of writing, presenting and munching on with my colleagues.
The day quickly ends, with work and chais alternately pouring in, and pings from my hubby on the local chat to remind that life is still there ( yes, we work for the same organization..thank god, not the same floor) … People would wonder..what would a real-life couple chat on the office chat windows?
For us.. it’s
“When’s lunch?”
“Are you busy”
“I hate you”
and more importantly “Who’s picking the kids??” …
So long for now, we alternately manage kids whenever there’s a crisis on the day-care or their health front. We know the weekdays have this inevitable routine..but no one’s complaining.
Weekends are spent happily munching popcorn and endless rounds of balcony coffees with smoke (only him) and gorging on HBO and Star Movies.
Q : So, what took so long for Shanthi to blog again?
A : Work, dearies, Work.
