Life or something like it

For the past month or so, we have had a spate of man-films. Action-packed punches, guns and abusive language. At its best it was thrillers, murders or episodes of “Castle”. To add to it, I picked up “House of Silk” – the new Sherlock Homes novel. All gripping, all interesting, all absorbing – but all mind-twisting as well. I started to feel like I was living on the sets of an action movie and even in my sleep, all I see is stuff about murders, lawsuits and unpleasant things. So, yesterday, I decided that I had enough (we saw the Dark Knight Rises).

Two new girlfriends and I made a plan to go see what we thought was a chick-flick. “Ted” turned out to be the worst movie I have seen in my life. It actually may have been the worst movie the three of us have see collectively – and yes we walked out.

But, turned out, today I seem to have found a life – or something like it. The movie was preceded by lunch at a nice continental restaurant and lots of female chatter and coffee. It was followed up with more chatter and coffee – a session that ended because our husbands beckoned. I think I made two new “friends” today in a more real sense than I expected to.

“Life” as I had planned it included a career, a certain environment and a whole lot of things. But today, I found that I had most of it. No career – but that will happen soon. In the interim, in a new country I have a group of friends; I have places to go and things to enjoy. I have laughter in the day; I have people to at least vent a little with. I have a small sense of a life other than my husband. That may not be “the life” but it’s a life. And it’s a life worth living.

Hum of the Day

Everyone says attitude is what shapes your life. To me it’s not attitude, its expectations - tempered expectations and a willing to face life head on with all that it offers. I no longer want to fear what life holds for me and I don’t want to plan and expect certain things to happen. I feared the time on my hands and decided to start my day early and meet that fear head on. I did not expect anything more than acquaintances but found friends. Life may not be what we expect but perhaps life as is comes is life as we all know it. We just need to embrace it. 

What next?

Yesterday, on our way to see The Dark Night Rises, we were listening to music in the car. Or, more accurately, my husband was trying to listen to music while all I could do was flick “seek track” to see which song was next. I would zero in on one I liked, and the 30-40 seconds later, I was “seeking” again. Everyone has a “thing” which defines their most quirky quirk – that’s mine: impatience and an inability to see anything through to an end!

My mom also pointed it out to me the other day – so must be some truth. I have started innumerable diets with great enthusiasm and never stuck through any. I usually started studying a new topic with a thirst for knowledge but ended up turning to water to quench it about two pages down the book. Even at work, initially I will love it, and then I will get bored. Oh and “Bored” is my almost permanent status update! So yes, fact proven – I’m impatient, bored and a quitter.

But I no longer want to be. And this time I think it may be possible. This time, I am taking baby steps, I am doing small things and not getting over enthusiastic about anything – apathetic maybe and unhealthy to the naked eye; but, what works for me may not work for another and vice-versa.

I have often looked at others lives and thought that something of what they had looks good. I hope there are others looking at me that way as well. Who says that grass is greener on the other side can only mean that it’s pointless to aspire for something which is not a part of you because it’s a package deal. Perhaps it’s not as good as it seems but it may be better in some ways; it could be possible to tweak the package to take some good that comes with the acceptable bad. And that’s what I am now aiming at. Picking the things I see around me that are greener than my grass, allowing myself to want it and then taking baby steps to get it.

Hum of the Day

In line with my Nike themed life, if you don’t see, you won’t know. If you won’t know, you won’t want. If you want, move to get it. Aim for the stars, move to the target, and don’t give up till you get somewhere. It may not be heaven but look down and you’re away from the dirt. 

Simplifying "Musings"

Since childhood I have been a voracious reader - and have also been gifted with the ability to use complicated words, speak and write in long sentences and essentially exterminate any possible simplicity in my life. This filters down to complicated thoughts, thinking about things not worth the effort and worrying and analyzing endlessly.

I think one of my first few posts or articles used the word "musing". My sister was innately amused and called me to laugh at inability to use simple words. I went on to marry a man whose life mantra is "keep things simple". Poor guy did not know what he was in for.

For the longest time, writing was cathartic and somewhere and somehow, I used complicated words to simplify my complicated thoughts. Then, in my head, my life got too complicated for words and I pretty much stopped writing - except sporadically when I felt a wave of fresh air or some hope in my life.

Then today, sitting at my window, staring at the muddy Bahraini concrete around me, I realized that life is not worth all that incessant musing. I was remembered a dialogue from a new series I like to watch "Bunheads" - "Sometimes, there aren't words which are enough. Sometimes, there is nothing to day -you have to do something" (that's my interpretation of what I remember of it).

Simple words. Simple thought. Very effective.

Life is not complicated, life is not boring and its not monotonous or frustrating - unless you choose to make it that way. And like all choices, those choices are also what we live with and those are the choices we answer to when we look in the mirror.

So instead of saying and planning and thinking - I've started doing. I have started using the gym,eating healthier, reading, dreaming (not planning) and just doing what I need to for that dream life to come true.

Do I have time on my hands - "yes" if I see it as a void and "no" if I acknowledge the number of books I still want to read, the weight I want to lose, the health I want to gain, the knowledge I want to enhance and the experience I want to live.

Hum of the Day

Actions speak louder than words. They resonate in your being more than any words can. Your "being" will thank you for it - for a someone once said, we regret what we don't do more than what we do. So as Nike profoundly says "Just Do It".

P&G's First Kitchen Date

For a long time now, I noticed that I have friends across various countries in similar personal situations as me - relocation due to marriage and all that comes with it. The most significant thing that comes with it is time. Lots of it. Suddenly the fact that a day has early morning, morning, mid morning, afternoon, mid-afternoon, late afternoon, early evening and "husband home" time, is a new reality! Anyway, what is common across most of my friends and acquaintances thrown into this world is a new found or reignited love for cooking. 

If you read G's post on our history (http://timesunlimited.blogspot.com/2012/08/kitchen-date-with-friend.html), why she would be the one to inspire me becomes obvious. Basically, one afternoon skype and coffee session where I was grumbling about not doing anything constructive I asked her for recipes and she came up with this idea. Trust her and only her to know just what i probably needed to bring sanity to me at that time. 

I already cook - I'm just an amateur cook and tend to experiment around. But this time we set a recipe, a day-range and we both would cook - and blog about it. So as promised to her, this blog is about our first kitchen date :)

We chose to make Short Bread Fingers as per this recipe:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/shortbread_1290

I was full of good intentions but Friday is a weekend for us in the middle east and I postponed our date to Saturday.

Come Saturday, I decided to add a Pasta to the menu - so my husband got fed home made cookies and pasta for dinner :)

The recipe seemed simple enough and I've baked cookies earlier -- not sure these were supposed to be cookies though. Anyway, i added the butter and sugar and found its smelling funny so I improvised. I added in some vanilla essence and coffee. Then came the dough which wasn't turning into anything but powder, so i added milk.

With great excitement I had bought all the cookware - orange silicone bake ware  and some shape cutters. 

I used all, and put it into the over. Looked OK enough

I also made a spice indian pasta. Pink Sauce, Green Onions, Capsicum, Brocolli and mushroom. Its one of my "signature" dishes.

The result? The cookies were hard and some of them were a bit too thick - but the taste was great. So my improvisation wasn't bad!

Pasta - well it had a spicy indian flavour but we both loved it.

All in all a fun day - great concept and I see why turmoil, food and cooking go hand in hand.

Hum of the Day

When I found the cookie dough smelling odd, I knew it wasn't the way i wanted it. I knew what to do, I knew that a dash of vanilla and coffee is a good cure all. I wish I could handle life that way. I could be on control and know the quick-fixes. For now, I am happy that in my Kitchen, I am. Baby steps.