Seahorses and empty houses

What does a seahorse symbolize?

In the last couple of weeks, I have been asked this question often. After my diligent Internet search, I believe the answer is that a seahorse represents an independent, free spirit; unattached and untethered. Yet, seahorses have a strong protective instinct towards their family! Going by this, seahorses and I are a perfect match, and for that I am glad!

It has been a while since I felt like writing just for myself. Whatever writing energy I had in the past two months has been directed towards reports, plans and exams. Hey, I am a student, and I have the right to bitch about it! But there is definitely something about the Halloween weekend.This post celebrates just about a year of writing for me, and I am glad to have stumbled into the blogosphere. The blogging experience has often been like talking to the *imaginary* friend. The idea that someone may read what I am saying and understand what I am feeling is quite liberating, and exhilarating! Oh yeah, and it is often very scary! But somehow, its working out for me.

So what has changed in a year? A lot, but definitely not enough. Did I change? Yes, I learnt that I should know how to pick my battles. Like the prayer goes (read below), I hope I have learned that fighting a one sided battle for some things does not really help. I love a good fight, but indifference? That just pulls me down and I am not going there anymore. In no way does this mean that I run from my fights, but it just limits the resources I put in them. I don't know about gaining graceful acceptance (actually I have been told I pretty much suck at that, at last check); but, well, hopefully I have time left still. 

There is something about an empty house with a sleeping cat who refuses to acknowledge my presence, and also refuses to leave that makes me write. A year ago, it was a house with two roommates sleeping inside.

Nothing really changes, does it?

For anyone who is interested, this is the (commonly accepted) original version of the Serenity Prayer:

"God, give us grace to accept with serenity
the things that cannot be changed,
Courage to change the things
which should be changed,
and the Wisdom to distinguish
the one from the other.


Living one day at a time,
Enjoying one moment at a time,
Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace,
Taking, as He did,
This sinful world as it is,
Not as I would have it,
Trusting that You will make all things right,
If I surrender to Your will,
So that I may be reasonably happy in this life,
And supremely happy with You forever in the next."

Christmas in Claremont!

So its Christmas time, the wind's howling in the trees, there is snow on Mt. Baldy's peak and I am on a break from KGI. It is an altogether different matter that I end up in KGI almost every night. After all, it has the pool table and the projector. Studying in the lecture hall may be difficult after meeting with Mr. Jack Daniels and trying out amateur karaoke in there :)

Have "guests" over - Jen and Rags are here. They insist I do not know the "right" way to make chai, but will I please make some anyways? Godot has been loaned to me. No wait. Godot has deemed our humble abode worthy of being his palace for a few days. Taking care of a crazy cat who doesn't want to return home at night and thinks that hiding in obscure corners of IHV is fun; is interesting, to say the least! Did I mention the time he climbed up on the roof and couldn't figure out how to get back down? No? Rags did the hero act by precariously balancing on one leg, on a rickety stool, and stretching his hand out to Godot, who promptly sank his claws in into the offered hand and grabbed on. Ouch. I realized I am absolutely not ready for the responsibility of a pet just yet.

Christmas dinner was at Uncle Marco's and Aunt Yanny's place. They are an amazingly open-hearted family, who have welcomed us all, sharing their time and affection and making us feel at home. The next day, we worked off the good food by going for a marathon. A five movies, back-to-back, marathon. By the way, is it weird that even after five months here, I don't feel homesick? I guess home is where the heart is, and I think my "extended" family keeps me centered. Love you guys :D

The year draws to a close and I am actually surprised at how fast time went by. This time last year, I was in Jodhpur, enjoying Marwari khana, with bajre ki roti, maakkhan maar ke. Today, it was "spicy" paneer tikka at Handee. Worries about are admissions over, (I should be) worrying about an internship now. The heat of Mumbai is a distant dream in the much appreciated cooler climes of Claremont. D Y Patil is buried deep down in my memory covered by layers of "awesome" KGI stuff. So many things change, and thank God that so many don't!

Bye-Bye 2009. You were a wonderful year, bringing with you a jolly bag of changes. Will miss you when you are gone, but I spy with my little eye a fun fun fun 2010!

Ring out the old, ring in the new,

Ring, happy bells, across the snow:

The year is going, let him go;

Ring out the false, ring in the true.

~ Lord Alfred Tennyson