XXXIII - So long Summer

Well its going to be a complete month since my last post so I thought it was high time I updated you all. I was super busy working on my masters dissertation and now that its done I suddenly have SO MUCH FREE TIME. I'm sure you've been through it too. One minute you're wishing that there were more than 24hrs in a day, and the next you have nothing to do and realize just how long a day can actually be.

Anyway, now everytime I meet someone I get asked, "So what next?", as if thats so easy to answer. I just finished this massive project, can't I be lost in my own world for even a month before having my life figured out? Don't now about you, but I take time to plan such important things. However, I know its (mostly) said out of concern for me so I don't really mind. 'Coz of the nagging I've been trying to stay productive, do my own thing, which includes lots of readings to be done.

Thanks to my cousin sister I was finally able to do something fun. Styling and doing shoots can be enjoyable when you have the perfect model. With summer coming to an end, I guess you could take this post as a tribute to the happy and warm energy one is surrounded by during this season. The outfit just turned out that way. Enjoy! ^_^

I played around with the make-up, but not too much. A slightly natural look. The nails were done 2 days ago. Nail art is something I've recently started to fall for. *sigh* So many possibilities. 

Hope you like it all. 

'Till next time then.

xoxox

XXXII - Beauty, Knowledge, Time

Yesterday I was watching a movie called "Norma Jean and Marilyn". This was so sad and it made me contemplate, once again, on beauty and mankind's obsession with it. Subconsciously every single one of us is affected by this. Women have been tortured by this for centuries. 

Don't get me wrong. Men have been targeted as well at certain points of history, but women have been its constant victims, regardless of place, culture or race. So as usual, just as I sat on my bed to call it a night, inspiration struck me and here I present the result of traversing the labyrinth in my mind.

Beauty fades, while Knowledge only grows.

This is why it is better to invest in the latter.
Trying to hold on to your beauty is like trying to stop a child from growing.
Doing so won’t stop the inevitable.
It will instead destroy what might have been a smooth and natural transformation,
Causing the process to result only in retardation and abnormality.

On the other hand, Time is a welcome guest in the house of Knowledge.
The longer Time is around, the more opportunity Knowledge has of expanding its domain.
Unlike Beauty, who only wishes for Time to stand still,
Knowledge would desire nothing more than for Time to continue on its course.
The movement of Time can only benefit Knowledge,
Who learns and slowly renovates its modest house into a spectacular building.

Thus, we see that even Time, like the people it affects, has two faces.
One of a cruel torturer, slowly draining away one’s existence.
Cold and unfeeling, it continues its abuse no matter how much you beg it to stop.
The other is that of a benefactor, kindly nurturing one into more than what one is.
Its support is constant and all one hopes is for a long lasting friendship.
The side we choose is the side we’ll see, like every other decision, and regret, in our lives.

I hope that you enjoyed it and will return to take in some of my thoughts that I am offering so freely.

'Till next time then.

xoxox

XXXI - This is Sikkim; My home

If you find yourself on the plains of Siliguri, look to the north.
In the distance you will see dark monstrous formations disappearing halfway up into the clouds.
These are the hills of Sikkim.
Well perhaps not the Sikkim one finds on the maps today, but the Sikkim as it once was.
A peaceful kingdom that soon lost its freedom, due to its ideal location,
To any party looking for power in the himalayan region.

This is my home.
To experience it one needs to step into the heart of its green thicket.
What looks wild at first, will soon reveal itself for just what it really is - a gentle giant.
Its suddenly elevated slopes mixes one with a sense of fear and wonder, while its foliage will provide open arms and almost hug you into comfort.

The roaring rivers below offer the subtle bass-line to a beautiful orchestra of sounds only nature can provide:
the birds, the bees,
the rustling trees.
When it rains one can only find solace in the fresh smell of soil while the lightening and thunder frighten away all the negativity that may threaten the day.

What appeared to be clouds from the plains of Siliguri, turn into fog and mist on the these slopes.
You find that after every few meters, behind every cover of white is a new scenery.
Across and in the distance ahead one can find hill tops appearing and disappearing and sometimes appearing simply suspended in mid nothing.
It is magical.
It is paradise.

This is Sikkim.

I'm home and so glad to be back. There are things I miss about London, especially the people who made my life there, but its still good to be back.

Hope you liked that little (non)ode to my wonderful homeland.

'Till next time then.

xoxox

XXX - Things I'll miss about the UK #1

Well the count down begins. 

I have exactly a week before I fly out and leave London behind.

Its strange. Nothing happened like I had thought it would. In fact I'm even leaving much earlier than I had initially planned. Its not like I didn't like it here or anything, it all just worked out that way. 

So I've decided to make a list of all the things I'll miss about life here in the UK. Its not in any order because most of them cannot be compared to each other, but they are things that I won't get back home in India (regardless of the state). 

#1

The amazing baked goodies!

So India has its few bakeries that do very well. In fact in my own hometown of Gangtok I can get amazing plain cake (its much more appetising than the name suggests, believe me) from a local bakery called Tripti's. This establishment has been filling my life with milky, soft, pineapple goodness since childhood, and continues to do so.
However, unlike the UK, you can't go to a supermarket in India and pick up a pack of muffins and expect them to taste as good as the freshly baked ones. Back home most of these things can be sold for months at a stretch.
Not like here where even store goods seem to be refreshed ever so often. I mean the first time I had a Sainsbury double chocolate chip muffin I couldn't believe my taste buds! Well done my friends, well done. *sigh*

#2
Walking
You know, before I left for the UK, I had been warned plenty of times about the amount I would have to walk. After a conference I attended for new students going to the UK, I got so frightened by what they said that I carried two big tubes of iodex with me. Safe to say that I survived.
The walking here is a lot more than what it is back home. Those people weren't exaggerating that, but what they failed to mention was that it would be fun to walk here. In the UK there are spacious pavements for people to walk. The weather is far cooler. The cars actually slow down when they see a person crossing/about to cross a road. Besides that there are traffic signals for pedestrians.
In fact, forget pedestrians. Once I saw a signal specifically for horse-riders. There was a special sign with a silhouette of a person on a horse and was placed at a height that would be comfortable for a rider. I know this might be mainly for the police officers one can see riding around town sometimes, but that doesn't reduce the coolness of the situation.
Imagine having such signals for elephant riders or camel riders in India...I think not.

#3
The lightening fast Internet
So back home, especially on the monstrous hills of Gangtok, using the internet isn't the best means of passing the time. Having a fast connection there is like getting to watch a falling star - its beautiful when it happens, it happens very rarely and it lasts only for a brief moment.
I do not exaggerate. Its not surprising that televisions are still a must here and one can find plenty of people who are technologically challenged.
Using the internet can be such an ordeal. I would sit on the computer for hours at a stretch, mainly because each page would take at least 5 complete minutes to open. As for any videos, just forget about it. You'll probably finish preparing, cooking and then enjoying a meal by the time a single episode has loaded (and many times even not then, as you'll find that the connection got lost along the way and now you need to load it ALL OVER AGAIN).
Of course, this would usually lead me to stay up all night, since it was only past 12 or 1am that the speed would become bearable. This being due to the fact that by then the rest of the world (who had a life to lead the next day) would have gone off to sleep. One can find themselves in the company of only a desperate few who are patiently waiting for their virtual life to take wing, or are waiting for the new Game of Thrones episode to load. You can take you pick.

#4
Information on almost everything is online!
Is it a day when you have nothing to do, but you want to do something and you just can't think of anything? Or are you in a strange new place with no company and still wish to explore it freely without getting lost? Or do you need to make an appointment with a doctor/make a reservation at a restaurant/book a cab/buy air or train or bus tickets/buy cheap tickets for any sort of entertainment? Well then simply google that shit out!
I was surprised by how easy it was to get around if one had a decent phone with internet. Google maps to the rescue!
Every event had its advertisements online. Every restaurant had a website. Every organisation had its info online. There was so much one could do without being too lost. All you had to do was look.

#5
No time limits
As a girl living in Delhi, I was very used to restricting my timings. When it would start becoming dark, especially if I had to travel alone, I'd start becoming very nervous. Going out at night even with a group of girls was stressful. I found myself crashing at a friend's quite often. If I wasn't being dropped home by a trusted friend I would usually dress in the most conservative way possible so that the cab/auto ride home wasn't too awkward.
So after years of that I was surprised by how much freedom a woman had here in London. I remember feeling like a boss every time I either took a bus alone around midnight, or even walked it home. There were a few places that one had to avoid, but this was easily be done. From all the things, I think it's this that I'll miss the most.

Anyway, I have a few more to add, but that'll be for the next post I guess. Don't want to make this too long.

'Till next time then.

xoxox

XXIX - My Mad World #3

I love Lady Gaga 

My admiration for every bit of her is tremendous. From her music, to her fashion, to her strong and lovely personality - I love it all. So many people struggle (and mostly fail) to reach even somewhere close to her greatness. She is the icon of the 21st century. The 50s belonged to Elvis, 60s to the Beatles, 70s to ABBA and 80s to Michael Jackson, but the present belongs to her. (This is all according to my estimation of course.)

This last self-shoot was inspired by not only Mother Monster, but by traditional Japanese artwork and Rock-ers. You might see the influence, or will just find it ordinarily mental. Either way, hope you enjoy it.
Don't over analyze it please. :)

A big shout out to Alison Lau for her help!! (Please click her name to check out her website.) Its great when you live with a professional photographer. I took all the pictures, but got a lot of help with the editing. 

My skin ain't that great people. I just wanted to make pretty pictures is all. I can't paint, so thank God for photography! :D

'Till next time then.

xoxox

XXVIII - My Mad World #2

Wow! So looks like many of you enjoyed the last post. I'm glad. Here's another throwback shoot.

After finishing my bachelor's degree in 2012 I decided to take a year off in Delhi. I had started gigging in Delhi's music circuit in 2011 so I just wanted to give music, my first love, a go. I had got through Berklee in Boston, but didn't manage a scholarship, so I thought that this would be the next best thing. A very memorable year later, for both good and bad reasons, I decided to move on.

However, not before utilising the very urban, typical third-world city view that I got from my roof top for another, more stylized, photoshoot. This was sometime in the middle of March. Spring in Delhi doesn't last very long. The winter quickly transitions into the sweltering summer. With the help of my flatmate I was able to capture some great snaps.

Later, I sat down and used my iphoto software to edit it. I still haven't learnt how to use photoshop, but thats the next stop I guess. I find it so puzzling, but its probably the most useful tool for stylized photographs. 

Anyway, hope you like what I was able to do with my limited resources. :)

For some reason, every time I see this picture I think - "Pocahontas". I don't know why.

I left Delhi in June, but not without making some very special friends. That city will always be a part of my life, but it was time to move on to the next stage. I don't only mean the next stage for my education, but also in life, and all the wonderful experiences it has to offer. Its once you step outside that you actually see how small the world is, and how possible to explore. 

The word IMPOSSIBLE itself breaks down to I'M-POSSIBLE, so take the step folks. Pull yourself, push yourself to the next stage. Exploration isn't always about travelling. Its also about being able to explore your own being. I hope these words will mean something to you some day.

Adhidhi-adhidhi-adhidhi That's all folks!

Love Thy Self.

xoxox

XXVII - My Mad World #1

Isn't it just fun playing around with the camera, with costumes, and oh! the make-up. So ever since I discovered make-up...and paint, I've loved playing around with looks, styling myself after being inspired by some painting, or movie, or photograph. 

I've always been an amazing "procrastinator" (kinda sounds like the Terminator of every study group/ teacher's nightmare :P). Anyway, so around finals, when the stress of studies would start mounting up, I'd do something creative. I started writing songs when I was 13 and in college I began to combine the magic of crazy make-up and a camera. (Probably coz of the contemporary dance society I had joined that year. We always loved our crazies.) 

I've also had the love of collecting interesting pieces of clothing and accessories, so my wardrobe did not lack the weird stuff. (This reached a point where one day my younger cousin brother "sweetly" told me that I'm the only girl he knows who never wears just a simple Tee and jeans. It just wouldn't suit me... *sigh* His innocent backhanded compliments never cease to amuse me.) Anyway so I though I'd put up some of the pictures I've collected over the past few years. 

This set is from the first time I discovered how much I like doing this weirdness. It was 2010 winters and I had my mid-term papers coming up. So of course I'll do this. My fantastic roomies joined in the fun and obliged to become my photographers and editors.

Don't take it too seriously. Just have fun with it. :)

Its magical what a nice scarf, and a simple background can do...oh and lots of colour editing (obviously).

Ok till next time then. Sayonara.

xoxox

XXVI - Be your own Master

Be Your Own Master

So I just watched the new movie depicting the epic myth of Noah and his ark that saved the lives of the innocent. This allowed "the Creator", aka God, to press the refresh button on the Earth and wipe out and drown all the evil and corruption that had overrun the world. Most people, even non-Christians would be aware of this tale. Hindu mythology has a very similar tale with a man named Manu, from where the hindi word "manushya" or "of Manu", meaning "human being", originates.

My thoughts, however, revolve more on the creation myth. Let me just clear out first of all that I myself am not Christian, but having grown up with an English education, and having done my bachelors in English, I am very aware of what the bible says. One can find many biblical references in the works of poets and writers, especially those during the Age of Enlightenment when people began to rethink what they had been believing so far based on blind faith. The famous work by John Milton comes to mind, Paradise Lost.

So this myth says that the world was created in 6 days and on the 7th God basically just relaxed. Thus resulting in the ever popular and much needed Sunday of today. So these 6 days was when all the evolutionary changes, including the big-bang, took place.  This was when the universe became what we know it as today ...well maybe not exactly as we know it since many suns/stars/planets must have died since then.

Anyway, so every time an atheist/non-believer/rationalist has argued against faith, religion or superstition, they have questioned this myth. How could anything have been created in just 6 days? Scientific study proved that it would take millions of years for such development. There is data. There is proof.

To that I say, can't both parties be right?
After all the bible was a document created by man. Every word in a holy scripture has to be interpreted by the preacher for us simple minded masses. The key word being "interpret".
The words can be read from different angles.

For example, why is it that as soon as we read, or are told the word "day", we presume that it means the same for God? After all he does happen to live much longer than us. In fact human beings are just a blip on the universal spectrum. So can't we instead presume that one day for God equals to a few thousand or million human years? Therefore, 6 God-days would equal to many million human-days. This theory would make sense of the scientific study and explanation for the universe's creation as well. So science and religion are just interpreting the same event in different ways, and again, the key word being "interpret". Thus their centuries old rivalry is deemed as nothing more than one big misunderstanding.

I'm sure someone must have spoken about this already, since its so tough to find new topics to write on these days. I mean this can't be new...right? However, if I am one of the first people to point this out then "Yay!" *pats her own shoulder*

Anyway, I just want to point out the power of interpretation. I believe that every religion in the world preaches the same basic teachings, and that they are just the different languages that God uses to get through to us. So next time you read your holy scripture or listen to it, question it in your mind and try to understand it for yourself. There is a lot to be learnt from them. Don't let someone else tell you what you should look for or look at.

Don't get me wrong. Listen to your elders' interpretation of it, but then try to figure it out yourself as well. Its the only way one can be truly religious and faithful to a God greater than the one presented to us. Key word being "presented". Don't let God be just an ideology sold to you by social conditioning, and if you're a parent, then be understanding and allow your children to make their own decisions. Try not to be disappointed if they choose a path different from your own. Acceptance is an important human trait after all.

I believe that this will really help clear the (mis)understanding of the "Adam&Eve not Adam&Steve" anti-gay movement. Much of the discrimination appears to be senseless. If God didn't want homosexuality, he wouldn't have allowed two male/female members to get attracted to one another. Homosexuality is present among animals as well, and if all living beings are equal then...well one can't really deny this natural phenomenon among humans as well right? Love is love. Anyway, so I'll end on that.

Lets spread happiness, positivity and understanding. 

Make up your own mind. Be your own master.

xoxox

XXV - The Power is Yours

"You know you'd be really good at {fill in the blank}."

"Hmmm I think you'll be better at {fill in the blank}."

"Why don't you look at more options?"

"I don't think that will suit you."

"Oh don't get {fill in the blank}, its not really worth it."

"Don't get a {fill in the blank} you won't be able to take care of it."

These are just some of the things that you've probably had someone or the other say to you. Discouraging statements, which may have been rooted in good intentions, but which still some how find a way of making you doubt yourself and slowly, unconsciously, cloud your self-image in negativity. 

For a very long time, probably around the last years of school, it felt like most of the world was only out to question me. I slowly began to question everything about myself. From trying to understand myself I found myself completely over-thinking situations.

I remember a time when I could confidently jump into unknown situations and emerge more knowledgeable. When I didn't fear making a fool of myself, because most of the time I didn't even think of failure as an option. It never occurred to me. I never had all the answers, but I wasn't afraid to try it out anyway, and figure things out for myself. 

I still don't have all the answers, but recently I've stopped trying to find them. Life seems to have become a road map of obvious and very unappealing options. A step by step process which ultimately results in Death X _ X. An ordeal that one has to get through.

However, it doesn't have to be that way.

Take a step towards change.

I don't know who you are, where you are or what you're going through, but I know one thing - 

the Power is Yours!

This saying could not be more true. Turning things around is all in your hands.

Believe in yourself!!

Stop listening to advice from every single person you talk to.

Stop changing your mind over and over again. 

Stick to what you want to do and try to make it productive, rather than following the herd and running after anything and everything that others say will be "a good opportunity".

Make your own (informed) decisions. Look into it for yourself, research and then decide. Your decisions will, first and foremost, affect you. You can't spend the rest of your life blaming others for making a wrong decision for you.

Be strong. 

Perseverance is key.

I know a lot of what I've said is very cliched and may not strike a chord with everyone, so in conclusion what I have to say is that most of the problems we face is life is due to our own short comings. So just pause for a bit, take a deep breath and try to spend a few minutes everyday making yourself happy.

Be active.

Do what you love, even if its just for a few minutes.

Meditate.

Taking time out for yourself - doing things you like doing makes all the difference.

Love yourself.

The only person who's approval and love you need is your own. Once you understand this, things will get easier. Believe me. 

Love Thy Self. 

xoxox

XXIV - Questions and almost Answers...

Questions and almost Answers...

The most dreaded question.

"So what do you plan on doing after this?"

Truth is, most of the time I don't know how to answer that.

I might say, "Oh I want to do ______", but in my head I'm going "most probably...NOT."
I'm very confused. I like doing a lot of things, but am usually unsure about what I can do professionally. What can support the lifestyle that I'm used to and also be something that I somewhat enjoy doing. 

I read somewhere (probably Buzzfeed) that one of the things you experience in your 20s is the realization that its very tough to actually make money off of what you like doing. I can't even tell you how true that is. Photography, music, writing, art, philosophy - I really chose the best fields. If you're from India like me, or are settled there, then you know what I'm talking about. Especially in a city like Delhi, where everyone wants to get work done through the cheapest means possible.

The job opportunities here and the minimum wage fixture would be the main things tempting me to stay on in the UK. But home is where my heart is.

Most of the time when I'm asked the above question I'm pretty truthful and answer flat out, "I don't know really", and then feel like finishing it with a Homer Simpson "Doh!".

I usually feel the gaze in front of me reflect either pity, skepticism or amusement with that answer. This can turn into a sudden moment of awkward silence, but I usually save it by redirecting the question to someone else or changing the topic entirely.

What I try to avoid is turning that meeting into a therapy session of "maybe"s, "if"s and "I wish"s.  

Now, however, I'm happy to admit that I sort of know where I want to head. It'll probably be something related to the things I've covered in this blog - travel, photography, writing, editing and of course, music. There's so much you can do with a blog itself, so hopefully, I'll be able to come up with some interesting stuff soon. I have a few things lined up, but no time to do it so far, but if you're patient than I promise it won't disappoint.

Hope you've found it interesting so far...whoever you are. :)

XXIII - We are the world

We are the world

There are some stories that bring me to tears. They create a lump in my throat and leave a bitter-sweet satisfaction as an after-taste. It happened recently when I (finally) watched The Help, and it happened again when I read the following article:

http://www.bangaloremirror.com/bangalore/cover-story/Ignore-them-such-people-are-druggies-passersby-told-him/articleshow/32438449.cms

Originally from Talk Sikkim.

To summarize: 

Sanjay Subba, a 17 yr old mentally ill boy, had been brought to Bangalore by his mother's brother-in-law for treatment. He ran away from the only people he knew in the city (due to his illness or other reasons, one cannot be sure). Three weeks later he was found malnourished and injured by Nanda Kumar while the latter was on his way to visit  the Mahabodhi Loka Shanti Buddha Vihara with his family. Kumar managed to rescue the boy and reunite him with his family.

This appears to be a happy ending to what could have been another tragic story, had there been no intervention by a person who chose to believe in the humanity in a suffering stranger. Whether it was God watching over Sanjay, or just a good deed by a good man, it doesn't matter. Its stories like this that restore my faith in humanity, especially, humanity in India between races. 

Why is it that we find it so easy to think the worst of other people? We must remind ourselves to be kind to them. We see a homeless person on the road and we usually presume, as in this case, that that person has probably brought that situation on themselves. Even if that's the case, does that mean that they don't deserve a helping hand? That they must continue to suffer? To what end?

To bring change one must be the change. Gandhiji seemed to have cracked the code long ago. It makes me happy to hear of organisations like The Ugly Indian who understand this and appear to function impactfully (my English degree should allow me to coin some words, don't you think? hehe). Anyway, I am like the rest of the ignorant/lathargic/uninspired, but I know an amazing thing when I see, and in this case read, it. The many followers and likes that these stories have got proves that I'm not the only one.

To my fellow admirers (of such awesome things), I hope we find something that drives us as well and are able to make an difference, regardless of how big or small. Be kind to the people in and around you. You don't know their story nor what they might have gone through.

Gandhi out! 

(Like a soldier communicating through radio, in case you were about to misunderstand. :P) 

xoxo

XXII - A mighty mystery

A Mighty Mystery

One of the greatest mysteries of life is Love.

Its one of the most spoken about topics that captivate almost every mind.

Science, philosophy and religion have all tried to give it their own explanation, but the phenomenon lives on.

It infects the minds of every artist, inspiring passions either for or against it. Feeding new creations, whether it be in song, art or literature.

Many people devote their lives to it. In search of that "one great love" or those many loves (depends on the ideology of the person). However, people's devotion to it lives on.

But Love, like all great things, is a difficult matter. Mainly because it is a matter ruled by the human heart.

"Things never happen the same way twice." - Aslan, the great lion, told little Lucy Pevensie in Prince Caspian from the Chronicles of Narnia series by C. S. Lewis.

The wisdom in these words were never lost on me. They still find resonance in many aspects of life, and Love is definitely one of them. One will probably not find love the way one had before, and surely not in the same form. People change, and with that changes their needs, and in turn, their expectations of Love.

You should avoid having expectations all together as that usually paves the path to disappointment. However, the "human" in us cannot help it most of the times.

My only advice is, open your eyes, open your arms and, most importantly, open your heart.

Love awaits at the most unlikely corner, at the most unlikely time. Make sure you're ready to welcome it, else it'll be stranded alone and cold outside your own closed doors, unknown to you.

Be ready for when Love arrives...

XXI - Unpredictable Birthday

Unpredictable BirthDay

So this birthday was highly ADVENTUROUS!

The day began all blue and beautiful. I had plans to step out and DO something. Alas, 'twas not to be. A short circuit in the flat that cut off all electricity made sure of that. I had to make sure that this was fixed otherwise the dinner party of the evening would be one big fail. Thus, went the majority of my day.

By the time the lights were decently fixed and I was ready to step out it started pouring! The weather had decided to take a sharp U-turn and mess with me. Thank you very much! So I waited for it to settle down a bit before risking it. It was getting late and I still had to pick up the alcohol. I had planned on carrying the red trolley bag of mine, but in the soaking weather, no way. So I carried a cloth bag. I mean there wasn't going to be all that much right? - WRONG! Worst decision ever.

Not only was my hair blown in every direction possible (causing me to look like Samara in the middle of the trip), but I ended up having to carry 6 big ass bottles. Had it not been for a friend's sweet intervention I'd probably have reached back Thakur style.

The rest of the evening was smooth sailing. Dinner, drinks, good company equaled to one fun night. My flatmates helped with the cooking and my brother was here with his guitar. So overall, though this was a strange place, the experience felt the same - warm and enjoyable. Thank you for stepping into my life when you did my friends.

Today, however, *Phew* the amount of cleaning was no joke. I don't think I've EVER washed as many dishes as I did today. That too with a hangover. I mean, my accommodation has supplied us with the most modern electric stove and oven...couldn't they have added a dishwasher to the deal? Is that asking for too much? ... Don't answer that.

Anyway, now my arms are hurting. I am tired. But I would do it all again. Whats Life without a bit of celebration. :)

Till next time then. xx

XX - Birthday Blues

Birthday Blues

Hello Everyone!

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and all that Jazz!

Well tomorrow's my birthday, and once again, I'm getting the "BIRTHDAY BLUES".

Its not exactly what it sounds like. I mean the blues aren't caused by my body growing older, but because of the planning of it all...and maybe a bit of home sickness as well.

I have no great excitement when my birthday comes along, but I do like get togethers with friends. I love making different groups of friends meet each other. And who doesn't like parties.

What I don't like is the hosting and planning bit. I mean if it wasn't my birthday I don't think I'd mind as much, but my 'funda' is that your day should be a day when you get to do what YOU want. So chillax, pamper youself, etc, etc.

I mean my idea of a great birthday is - me doing what I want all day and then going for a party organized for me by somebody else... Which is quite a long shot right?  *sigh*  :P

Anywho, I'm just glad people are gonna be helping me out. (Thank you lord for my kind flatmates.)

I'm feeling the birthday blues, but I can't wait for tomorrow.

*fingers crossed for a happy day*