Wednesday, January 7, 2009

wtf

I hate to be such a negative nancy but wtf.
We are only 7 days in to the new year and I feel like a steam roller has passed over me a few times already.

I came back to work on Monday from my staycation - on my Half Birthday - to find that something extremely important had fallen through the cracks. I did my best to fix it but unforutunately it's one of those things that is unfixable. I haven't touched my planner. It's not even the middle of the year and I'm already slacking on using the planner! I thought I was being all responsible by shopping around for life insurance since I'm going to hit the big 3-0 soon. I figure it makes sense. Apparently, in the insurance world, I'm ALREADY 30! After a person's half birthday, insurance companies round up. That was my birthday present as I went to see the insurance lady on Tuesday - the day after my Half Birthday. Today is Wednesday. Only Wednesday.

And it's not just me. I feel a lot of people around me are making their way through some challenging times. If this is how it is just a week in, I don't even want to think about what the rest of the year has in store.

I am usually very good at seeing the silver lining on the cloud. But I am TIRED. I don't want to make the effort to see the silver lining. This is me whining. I would just rather there not be a cloud. Clear skies. Sunny day. Everything going my (and my friends') way.

But this is me we are talking about. No matter how many times my little heart gets trampled, it gets right back up and falls for the cute boy next door. Same goes for my optimism.

So - aside from the usual blessings I thank the Lord for bestowing upon me and my family like health, food, shelter - I do have much to be thankful and blissful for...

I was emailing back and forth with my mom and dad today at work. I took a step back and surveyed the situation...I'm used to emailing with dad but my mom emailing is the cutest thing in the entire world!
I made a new friend recently. She was going through a rough patch and I happened to be there and we've gotten close.
Another friend has found herself in a pretty wonderful situation and it warms my little black heart to see her so happy!
I have a job. It's a doozy. But I do have a job.
I just tried a new way of making bhindi and it is fantastic - if I do say so myself.
In my panic-y state on Monday, I found solace in lots of fantastic friends. I reached out and they reached right over with advice and comfort.
I have dinner plans at a friend's house tomorrow night.
I have so many amazing trips and events to look forward to this year.
I'm planning a trip to India. I'm going home.

Hmmm....not bad.

Monday, January 5, 2009

3 Weddings, a Baby, Graduation and a Big Birthday

My 2009 calendar is quickly filling up...

I'm heading to India in February for a friend's wedding.
A dear friend and his wife are expecting sometime in April.
My cousin in Canada recently got engaged and her engagement is sometime in May/June and the wedding is in August.
Another family friend of ours has notified us of her daughter's wedding set for mid June.
One of my sisters graduates from high school in June.
I turn 30 in July. Whoa. It's weird seeing it in print. Anyhoo...

We're only 5 days in to 2009 and the first half of the year is pretty much booked solid.

The second half of the year is open. Book me now! It's going to be a busy year.

Happy Half Birthday...

...To Me!


6 months have passed. Another 6 months to go. Given that my half birthday is right around the New Year, it seems appropriate to review resolutions...


The resolutions I had made on my 29th birthday are as follows:

1. Be present for family and friends. - Check

2. Laugh a little more. Not worry so much about wrinkles. ;-) - Check

3. Exercise at least 3 times a week. - Check. I'm just as surprised as you.

4. Limit the caffeine. - I've given up the addiction to Starbucks. But as mentioned before, it's simply been replaced by an addiction for another coffee place. Does it count that this other coffee place has the best cappuccinos in the entire city? And the cutest barristas? Didn't think so...Ok, so still working on this one.

5. Start the projects I have been talking about for years now. - Half Check. I started (and maintained) this blog. I've made progress on the self employed project. Still need to work on the non-profit and that Oscar worthy script. ;-)

6. Travel. Reclaim old places. Discover new ones. - Another half check. I have discovered new places. I haven't reclaimed old ones though. Next trip: Chi-Town.

7. Eat my veggies. - Check!

8. Save enough to buy a place soon. - The market is not going my way. Don't know if this will happen by my 30th birthday.

9. Get organized - from closets to checkbooks to important contact information. - I've been bad. Still nowhere near as organized as I should be.

10. Quit my addiction to bottled water. Go aluminum. - No aluminum yet but I have the Brita and that has drastically reduced my bottled water usage.

11. Follow through. In every sense. - I hope so. I think I'm doing well on this front.

Only one new resolution to add to the list courtesy of a dear friend: Pursue Me.

This is a hard one because this means putting myself first. And believing that I deserve it.

Oy.


Sunday, January 4, 2009

Ostriches

Thus far 2009 has been…rough. I’ve spent the first few days of the new year getting up well past noon and staying up well past midnight and feeling like an ostrich with its head in the sand. No crazy nights. No crazy parties. I’ve been holed up in the apartment only stepping out to grab a cappuccino or two. I’ve been cooking and making my way through my DVD collection. (Those ‘habits’ I blogged about earlier – not so much.)

Currently playing on the TV is Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge (DDLJ). It’s a classic. And the fact that I’m watching it right now means I’m feeling pretty crappy. I haven’t watched this movie in ages. When it first came out, it was on constant replay at the house. That was well over a decade ago. Since then, I’ve put it on here or there but just as background noise. Tonight, I’ve watched it straight through. Reminisced about when it first came out. Thousands of memories flooding my brain right now. Hindi movies – as corny as they are and DDLJ is pretty darn corny – always lift my spirits. I get caught up in the songs, the cheesie/improbable/unrealistic plot lines, the even cheesier/improbable/unrealistic sub plot lines, and I fall in love with them just as the main characters are falling in love with each other.

So here we are. Yay 2009. Maybe I’m all emotional because tomorrow is my half birthday. And because I don’t have anything planned. And will work a long day tomorrow because I have been away from the office for over a week.

Maybe that’s all it is.

Thursday, January 1, 2009

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! I wish you and yours much love, happiness, peace and prosperity. I wish that while all of your hard work pays off that you also find some things come easily.

Kisses!