Aargh! ...... I havent written anything for a while, despite every good intention to blog regularly. Every time I think about it, I am stumped .....what shall I write about? No flurry of ideas raising their hands in my mind's classroom (borrowed that from April Hoeller, by the way - loved the mental picture it creates).
Guess it will have to be the mundane for the moment till I can teach myself to be more intellectual.....
Let's see now.... I did some geometry - a design based on the 'breath of the Compassionate' theme for a friend whose salon is done up all in black and white!
I reconnected with a hitherto 'virtual' friend whom I had met at a common friend's place two years over an evening of lively conversation and experience sharing. D had been in Doha for a long time and had many interesting stories to tell. We stayed in touch via the internet, sharing funny jokes and emails for two years till she sent me a moving message a month ago inviting me to 'sit at her table'. Turns out she lived close by and one day recently she invited friends for coffee at her house one morning and I got to meet her again and felt a warm glow as she and her fun friends from all over the world, pulled me in briefly, extending their hand of friendship. Alas, D is leaving Doha after more than 2 decades! I understand now, when she says " My friends are the Jewels on my Crown, thanks for being there for me and for being a Jewel of a Friend... I will alway remember you" ... Farewell D .... you are definitely a jewel in my crown and your emails brighten my day! Keep those jokes coming ......
Then there was this mad dash trip to India. First to Delhi, where my daughter was in the throes of finalising her MPhil dissertation, figuring out footnotes and references - didnt know there were so many formats on footnotes and bibliography writing. Once she is done, my daughter will be the most highly educated member of our family for a few generations on both sides!
I stayed out of her way dealing with the piles of laundry, cooking and sundry chores, in between catching up with old friends, before heading off to Bangalore.
The meeting in Bangalore went well at this NGO that has been working quietly without fanfare to promote and help realise the rights of persons with disabilities in rural areas across some very remote parts of India. I feel privileged to have been part of their journey, initially as a resource person and for the past three plus years as a board member. Now that I have relocated to Doha, it was time to pass the baton on, so I have opted out of their board, but am so glad they accepted my offer to stay on as a general member.
I like going to Bangalore and meeting up with old friends and family, and I have got used to the chaotic commutes and crazy traffic. I like how it is spreading out and evolving into a truly multi cultural city - a friend joked about how it was soon to be renamed 'Bongolore' by the large population of Bengalis living there! It is also extremely popular destination for young people from North East India. The Ant Store in Indira Nagar, is a must visit place and has become quite a hub for the 'northeastisation' of the city and I am proud to have had a hand in making that happen. It is not uncommon to hear Assamese spoken around you, and now there a few restaurants serving Naga food! Way to go NorthEasterners!!!
Onward ho to Kolkata to meet with the parents, who are getting on in years but still continue to amaze me with their albeit now slowing, spirit and energy (Daddy is 89 and Ma is 78!!). Ever the film buff, my father and I watch 'Twelve Years a Slave' on DVD the evening I arrive and wake up early next morning to watch the Oscars ceremony live!!!
Next stop Guwahati. Was so good to be home and sleep in my own bed and wake up to the sound of sparrows cheeping and crows cawing outside my bedroom window and to see the baskets of petunias hanging on the terrace.
Mother in law is doing okay despite her 80 + years and twice replaced hip bones!!! (touch wood!). Visited the office where I used to work for a chat with my successor, attended a first birthday celebration of our friends' grandson, and spent an evening chatting with my one time colleague, confidant and close friend (even if she is almost as old as my mum!)
Back in Delhi, on my way back, my daughter is still slaving away at the dissertation as her deadlines have been extended. I meet her flatmates from Mexico and Lithuania, who are in India interning with a leading NGO that converges technology and science with ecology and food security! Daughter's apartment building is a mess on account of long overdue renovation work and she is plodding through the proofreading and editing amid all the banging and yelling and cement and concrete flying around! Poor dear! I leave her with a heavy heart and the hope that her situation will ease up soon.
Winged it back to Doha from Delhi on an upgrade to business class ! Hah! I had complained about the service and rude treatment on an earlier trip....wonder whether there is a flag against my name on their computer?
I am attending art classes again at the MIA. The Marbling class was great fun and brought out the child in all of us as we swirled through the blobs of colour in the marbling bath and watched the patterns form when we pulled out our sheets of paper and fabric. But watercolour painting was a different ball game altogether.
My brother in law from USA passed through Doha in a whirl of salsa dancing and tango classes, much to his surprise and delight!
And so it goes on...... next time I will write about my attempts to learn 'dandiya' dancing ...
Guess it will have to be the mundane for the moment till I can teach myself to be more intellectual.....
Let's see now.... I did some geometry - a design based on the 'breath of the Compassionate' theme for a friend whose salon is done up all in black and white!I reconnected with a hitherto 'virtual' friend whom I had met at a common friend's place two years over an evening of lively conversation and experience sharing. D had been in Doha for a long time and had many interesting stories to tell. We stayed in touch via the internet, sharing funny jokes and emails for two years till she sent me a moving message a month ago inviting me to 'sit at her table'. Turns out she lived close by and one day recently she invited friends for coffee at her house one morning and I got to meet her again and felt a warm glow as she and her fun friends from all over the world, pulled me in briefly, extending their hand of friendship. Alas, D is leaving Doha after more than 2 decades! I understand now, when she says " My friends are the Jewels on my Crown, thanks for being there for me and for being a Jewel of a Friend... I will alway remember you" ... Farewell D .... you are definitely a jewel in my crown and your emails brighten my day! Keep those jokes coming ......
Then there was this mad dash trip to India. First to Delhi, where my daughter was in the throes of finalising her MPhil dissertation, figuring out footnotes and references - didnt know there were so many formats on footnotes and bibliography writing. Once she is done, my daughter will be the most highly educated member of our family for a few generations on both sides!
The meeting in Bangalore went well at this NGO that has been working quietly without fanfare to promote and help realise the rights of persons with disabilities in rural areas across some very remote parts of India. I feel privileged to have been part of their journey, initially as a resource person and for the past three plus years as a board member. Now that I have relocated to Doha, it was time to pass the baton on, so I have opted out of their board, but am so glad they accepted my offer to stay on as a general member.
I like going to Bangalore and meeting up with old friends and family, and I have got used to the chaotic commutes and crazy traffic. I like how it is spreading out and evolving into a truly multi cultural city - a friend joked about how it was soon to be renamed 'Bongolore' by the large population of Bengalis living there! It is also extremely popular destination for young people from North East India. The Ant Store in Indira Nagar, is a must visit place and has become quite a hub for the 'northeastisation' of the city and I am proud to have had a hand in making that happen. It is not uncommon to hear Assamese spoken around you, and now there a few restaurants serving Naga food! Way to go NorthEasterners!!!
Onward ho to Kolkata to meet with the parents, who are getting on in years but still continue to amaze me with their albeit now slowing, spirit and energy (Daddy is 89 and Ma is 78!!). Ever the film buff, my father and I watch 'Twelve Years a Slave' on DVD the evening I arrive and wake up early next morning to watch the Oscars ceremony live!!!
Next stop Guwahati. Was so good to be home and sleep in my own bed and wake up to the sound of sparrows cheeping and crows cawing outside my bedroom window and to see the baskets of petunias hanging on the terrace.
Back in Delhi, on my way back, my daughter is still slaving away at the dissertation as her deadlines have been extended. I meet her flatmates from Mexico and Lithuania, who are in India interning with a leading NGO that converges technology and science with ecology and food security! Daughter's apartment building is a mess on account of long overdue renovation work and she is plodding through the proofreading and editing amid all the banging and yelling and cement and concrete flying around! Poor dear! I leave her with a heavy heart and the hope that her situation will ease up soon.
Winged it back to Doha from Delhi on an upgrade to business class ! Hah! I had complained about the service and rude treatment on an earlier trip....wonder whether there is a flag against my name on their computer?
I am attending art classes again at the MIA. The Marbling class was great fun and brought out the child in all of us as we swirled through the blobs of colour in the marbling bath and watched the patterns form when we pulled out our sheets of paper and fabric. But watercolour painting was a different ball game altogether.
My brother in law from USA passed through Doha in a whirl of salsa dancing and tango classes, much to his surprise and delight!
And so it goes on...... next time I will write about my attempts to learn 'dandiya' dancing ...
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