Catharsis

March 2022 If someone had asked me this question “What do you do to stay fit?”   a decade ago, my nonchalant answer would've been “cornflakes, coffee and potatoes 😉” .. Having fortunately been blessed with good metabolism, I always believed that eating good food in moderation would hold me in good stead for a healthy life (glorious twenties eh 😋😜).. I would still continue to dabble in sports activities during office events, especially throwball and Table Tennis , more for fun rather than with a lofty end goal of fitness in mind 😁😅💁🏻‍♀️. Fun times - beach throwball and late night table tennis practice 💁🏻‍♀️💃🏻👊🏻 While past couple of years have been extremely busy, going to office including taking local train ensured that there was a semblance of an active lifestyle. For someone like me who prefers curling up with Kindle 📖 during spare time, spending time on exercise was anathema 🙄🙄.  All that changed during last two years with working from home and longer working...

 Jan 2022 As we navigate the uncertainties in the current environment, hubby felt it’s best to travel when we can and not wait for a particular date in the future 😉. Hence we embarked on an impromptu trip to Goa and that’s how we found ourselves waking up at 3.30 am on a chilly winter morning for the train journey to Goa.                                               Go Goa 🏝                                                                                                                           ...

October 2021 I took the decision of quitting my job and embarking on my second sabbatical in June 2021 - this was not a knee jerk reaction to one event, but a reevaluation of pri orities owing to various factors over a period of time.  My previous blog “Musings of a Sabbatical-eur”  ( https://ac-catharsis.blogspot.com/2016/09/ ) talks at length about why it’s worth taking a sabbatical; this blog is more about my journey on a less-travelled path.  (Source: Google) The onset of the pandemic has changed all our lives in more ways than one. The second wave hit closer to home, and listening to the harrowing experiences of friends & family made me see things in a new perspective. Somewhere along the line, my life had been on default mode, just rushing from one task to another; neither taking the time to enjoy the moments in life, nor reflecting about things that truly mattered. Simba, our boisterous golden retriever pup, coming home and the Pawrenting journey was the ...

 June 2021 Hubby’s sabbatical was progressing well - contemplating life ✅; focus on health ✅✅; adopting a puppy 🐶…. Hold on ! While I like dogs and have fond memories of our amazing German shepherd Fluffy while growing up, I am not one who can be categorised as an Animal lover. While Hubby continued to do copious research and showed me tons of puppy pics , status quo persisted until one adorable Golden retriever came along 🥰😍🤩. The pic instantly captured our heart and seeing his golden fur and cute snout, the name Simba spontaneously sprung to mind. We didn’t have too much time to get the house in order since Simba was arriving within a day of us choosing him. The day passed in a flurry of pet proofing, figuring out pet supplies & essentials… And our love of planning was reflected in Hubby reading so much information that one could easily apply for a PhD thesis 😉 Simba, our little ball of fur, joy and entertainment ☺️😆🤩 (Source: Author’s file photos)  While I have n...

April 2017 (Source: Google) 6.30 a.m: As surprising as it sounds, aamchi Mumbai has finally accomplished what apna Hyderbad wasn't able to - am ready to take on the world by waking up at 6.30 in the morning ;). Never in my life did I stir a second before 7.30 a.m and here my maid comes at 7 a.m, so there you go -- power of Mum'bai' :P 6.40 a.m: I have become the poster girl for healthy food (yes, a far cry from the fried food and chocolates staple diet ;). I have protein for lunch every day - simply put, dal  (love the different types of dal  I get to experiment with). I put the dal in the pressure cooker and sit down to enjoy my cuppa coffee and contemplate on the road to inner peace. Its the last day of a hectic month and I am looking forward to the journey home. (Source: Google) 6.50 a.m: But as usual, the quest for sanity is a bumpy ride - my musings are cut short by the whistle of the pressure cooker acting like a spray jet. Having a pr...

September 2016 (Source: Google)  I like this quote by Nicholas Boileau-Despreaux mentioned in Bartlett's popular 'Book of Familiar Quotations,' "Every age has its own pleasures, its style of wit, and its own ways." And in the thrilling 30's, one might add, recruitment consultants and of course, discussions about parents 😉. These discussions are with my cousins and close friends - just like my sister and I, all of them share a close bond with their respective parents. We discuss about how they are aging, their health issues, their on & off finickiness and their little tantrums;) As I mentioned earlier, I believe in the nurturing power of sharing; and these conversations are not at all about cribbing, but about finding comfort and solace by talking about it. So on those off days when parents are freaking out or experiencing a morbidity bout or are just being stubborn, I think of the 'Kids to Kiddos graph': (Source: Google an...