Travel

 I didnt travel out of Chennai, but just from Besant nagar to Greams Road. Athukke travel nnu Title because it felt like forever. (i dont like to think about bangalore at all . Aathu suggested going to bangalore for birthday which falls during year end, i was like strict no and after this episode - no means no thaan)

First time, i didnt nondify mobile while travelling and was parakku paathufying people and the places. I have been of late reading this again and again somewhere - please learn to sit still, without doing anything meaning - without speaking to anyone or most important not to look into one's mobile or others also for that matter.

This experience was like that - I was looking at a fellow aunty - who was coming near our cab for about 1 km talking in her mobile - ithula enna vishayam na - though she had her car window - her voice was audible outside. She didnt realise and was talking ( not happily though , think it was an official call). Everyone were looking at her while crossing but she was blissfully unaware. Antha eraichal layum her voice was audible , athuthaan highlight - morning 9.30 traffic adyar bridge.

Then, another aunty in her two-wheeler trying to balance her dupatta and bag and with a very big helmet navigating among the autos and the fellow two-wheelers who were rushing to catch something or the other. Though i was in a hurry, i was watching all these unfold. It was like watching drama unfold when u are just a spectator but not a participant. Because everyone were participating in that.

I was trying to guess each of their story - ok, that uncle is going to office and he is the CEO there, because of his foreign car and that Aunty was wearing a suit, so she must be some advertisement consultant or architect going to client place. 

On the whole, it was different. Actual ah naan onnum solla varala, just recording my thoughts :)

Ok, the point is i went to a seminar where the food is free and knowledge is charged. 

Methu vadai and tea for morning snack

Phulka paneer butter masala, Pulav , sambar sadam , pappadam and curd rice

Samosa and tea - evening snack

Ellam mudichutu came back  to home.

Only to find Pa not well and vomiting . 

So, buttermilk vendhayam ellam kuduthu bed kku anuppittu, listening to amazon prime playlist and writing this post.

Random thoughts-I

 Saturdays are my hectic days. Need to drop and pick Pa from school and this takes to and fro twice and apart from that Hindi class and again this also to and fro twice. So, literally I travel to the same place four times.

So, appadi oru prayanam bothu vantha random thought. I was just watching the pedestrians while waiting in the signal. They were wearing different kind of clothes. 

Some were casually dressed and others took care and some others didnt even care. Iam actually a stranger and i have no idea whether that dress is new or worn 100 times. 

Same with my case, people who see me will not remember anything. Atleast in my case, iam so bad in remembering costumes or jewellery. So, why should i spend more money on clothes. My only weakness is clothes. I have this habit of visiting various sites and adding to their cart and just watching all these instagram saree shops.

And I wonder at the number of people doing business in instagram, Are there really so many people who buy sarees and if so, will they be buying every month. How are these businesses surviving and what would be their profit margin. 

Because there are many shops from udumulpet or erode or namakkal where we wouldnt even step if we visit those areas. And here in Chennai itself we are very much brand conscious and every time visit the same Nalli or Westside ( my current favourite)

Apart from all the above, i was thinking about the dresses i bought during my childhood and those which were special.

One such is a sky blue frock which i remember very well because i went to VGP with my mama who is just 15 years old than me and with whom i grew up and also my mama's athai ponnu whom i call akka.

It was a very nice outing because we got to ride almost all the rides free, Reason being one of my mama's friend was working there and we even got a picture with me holding a big balloon.

And the next one is a pink salwar when i was in 3rd std which my another mama and mami got for me. It was my first salwar with a dupatta which I was proudly flaunting.

Those days, we got dresses only for occasions like deepavali and birthdays and not even pongal.

That feel is missing somehow. But, i got the same feel recently when i went to treat myself after the full  batch i taught got 95+. I just went on my own without aathu or kids and shopped which was my first experience. It was very special to buy something without any occasion and to celebrate. It felt just so good.

Dear Diary - I

 Yesterday was aathu's birthday. He was unable to come home. He is in Mumbai. So, me P and Pa wished him at 12 and we had some fun conversation.

Also, his elder brother's wedding anniversary too falls on the same date . Sometimes ,  I wonder whether his father intentionally chose this date to maintain some eternal connection between the brothers.

What happened during that wedding is another story.

I like to wish people irrespective of whether they do the same for me. I always donot forget their birthdays and wedding anniversaries. This has been my habit.

Why all these stories because i got hurt badly yesterday. I donot know whether it was intentional or just akkairai from him(the brother). I wished both manni and anna separately and received the Thank you message immediately from anna also adding that he wish that his brother has a peaceful and healthy birthday.

I learnt later that he wished him early in the morning with simple Happy birthday. But, why this long message for me. I felt may be he is pointing me that he is not peaceful and healthy because of me or he wish i give him all those things or he blames me for those things. All these have been circling my mind yesterday and suddenly i felt i have no one to care or to even share feelings with. 

I strongly wish for my mother at these times and curse god for not giving me a father who doesnt bother about me but happily living with his other family. 

I know all these are thoughts due to periods but sometimes i get so overwhelmed.

IAM ALSO A HUMAN BEING WITH FEELINGS.

Weirdo

 Sometimes, i wonder, Am i a weirdo. 

In this current scenario of Prime, Netflix and whatnot, I haven't watched a single series but for one such which had Lakshmi and Madhubala. SWEET , KARAM AND COFFEE. I like lakshmi a lot and when the trailer came i was waiting for the release date and finished the series in one go.

Maybe that anxiety is what stopping me from watching series. I don't have control when it comes to certain things. Like if i start a book, i have to complete it , no matter what. I will read the whole night and be like a zombie the next day. And not to mention i read the last page after few minutes into the book.

Same thing with respect to movies. I see wikipedia for the plot and the story before watching any movie and it always creates a big war in our household. P doesnt like us revealing anything. He will not even allow us to discuss any movie and when i say discussion we are not allowed to even put forth our guesses.

And he wants to watch the movie from the beginning. Beginning means right from the first frame. It so happened when Vikram (the current one ) released, we booked for 1st day early morning show right before his 12th boards. And the previous night we were just discussing about the film. And aathu during the conversation casually mentioned, i think kamal would die in the film. Thats it. All hell broke loose. P started shouting - why did you say - You have spoiled everything - thats why i dont talk to you at all. 

And me being me, simply said - you have crossed your limit and as a punishment we are not going to the movie. Next day i stood my ground and we didnt go at all. 

I know i was being egoistic and stood sparring with him equally but somethings need to be emphasized to the children. Neraiya samayathula they test your patience, Ithu intha chamathu P ya , Kaanbathu kanava allathu nejamma nnu kooda neraiya doubts vanthirukku.

I think thats the thing with modern parenting. You oscillate like thirisangu sorgam between gentle parenting and the need to teach them discipline and manners.

I think by the time Pa comes to teens , thalaiyla oru mudi kooda minjaathunnu nenaikkaren.

I KNOW I ALWAYS START A TOPIC AND MOVE ON TO SOME OTHER THING.

Independence

 I have never been to hill station. Iam serious. Past 2 years only i have been travelling independently.... Though not alone it was very liberating.

Before marriage, always have travelled with uncles / aunts / grandmother. Only once that too for school excursion went to trichy and tanjavur. Even the travelling reduced to nil after my uncles moved from different towns to Chennai when i was 10. Before that went to mostly temples or relatives houses. Never once for sightseeing. 

When my cousins went to Ooty or kodaikkanal or Mysore - It was like a dream. Once my Uncle while returning from sabarimala gave us a choice in Madurai - antha side palani intha side kodaikkanal enga polamnu - Ennoda keragam nnu kovai sarala sonna maathiri - my paatti chose palani. Avvalavuthaan athuvum buuusssss nnu pochu.

Seri after marriage honeymoon polamnu oru periya kanavu - But marriage la iruntha pala kozhapathula neraiya swamikku vendinathaala - romba poruppa went to Thirupathi along with my in-laws - athuve etho oru liberating ah irunthathu. After so many years i travelled.

Then, ore kadamai kannayiram - P happened and paatti at home - so was visiting only temples - short duration. Then for one of our anniversary made plans well in advance and went to Mysore for a quick trip - 2 nights and 3 days. 

Then again Agnayanavasam for 10 long years. Aathu was in Mumbai. After much hesitation and planning and we split ourselves and visited aathu in Mumbai. First P and Pa went to Mumbai with Aathu for 4 days and I was with paatti. Then P stayed as home and I went along with Pa to Mumbai. 

Wow - that was the freedom i was talking about in the first paragraph. Before that i was always accompanied by someone. First time i took Pa and went to Mumbai. It was frightening and at the same time exhilarating. Always i was treated like queen by my aathu. He will take care of everything. Checkin , luggage and everything and the last time was almost a decade ago. So, it was like all the more like first time. Going to the airport, checkin and boarding - ithuve enakku etho saathanai panna maathiri irunthathu.... Enakke enna paatha ore chirippu chirippa vanthathuu.... ithukke ivvalavu scene ah nnu.

I was thinking about my friends who traveled abroad for their UG even. Naano intha 40s la just oru Mumbai kke ivvalavu scene podrene nnu. 

Now my long time aasai fulfill agumnu nenaikkaren. Booked tickets to Madurai and Kodaikanal. Lets keep fingers crossed.

Now searching a good place to stay and for shopping. Google aandavare thunai. Paakkalam wanted to visit thirupparangunram too. P and Pa cooperate pannuvaangala nnu theriyala. ippove no kovil nnu solraanga parpom.

Passion

 Always right from my childhood, i love to teach. Iam so glad i acted upon it not for passion but out of compulsion. Actually i didnt choose CA as an ambition or something rather it was the only cheapest money making course.

So, when we underwent rough patches approx 8 years ago, teaching was the only option i had. As it had its perks. And again aathu was worried about the students cause those days the news was filled with students attacking the teacher and not to leave behind the teacher who eloped with an student (aathukku antha bayam laam illa chumma oru pechukkuthaan) . So he suggested taking classes for lower standards, but me being me changed the advertisement which i was supposed to give in the local newspaper in the last minute and conveniently blamed it on one aunty who accompanied me.

That was the best decision i made. From then on, its been a wonderful journey. Not only i earned but i got to interact with the students on a daily basis. Its so refreshing and boy it does have its moments when parents expect instant results like maggie or the jee boom baa . 

Once again the accounts paper got over and it still gives me high when children come and say happily that they did their exams well. That instant you forget the 8-10 hours which you had put every single day for the past 15 days not to mention the late zoom meetings (thanks to COVID) and the whatsapp doubts.

More than that when they hesitate to leave tearing up but not wanting to show it is the best moment. What more i can ask for. 

I think this is the only profession where you get so happy seeing others children perform i suppose.

It gets more special when the first batch still remember your birthday and bring cakes and when everyone wish you on teachers day.

Iam so much blessed to be surrounded by good people and iam forever thankful to God for guiding me whenever iam in crossroads. 

Friends meet

 Its not the Friends which was hyped few years ago. Though i can proudly agree, iam one of the few soul who didnt watch that series. I have heard ' ooooh aaaaah ohhhhhh ' about that, but still didnt have the inclination to watch

Coming back , met my friends after 10 years and wow i laughed a lot. It was no kids , no husband meet. I was bragging and making so much noise about this to my kids since the beginning of the month. P you should keep your day vetti and not fill with plans ( going out with friends or girlfriend) (konjam kooda vevasthaiye illatha amma) thats ok. And was saying  to Pa , you should get up and have your break fast and all. Aathu anyways was not in town , so innum vasathiyaa pochu.

Then sudden plan change. Aathu came for christmas holidays. Antha manushan paavam 2 days varisaiya leave irunthaalum will fly to Chennai. But, inga thaan vishayame, i have already planned, so cannot postpone my meet or can we say I didnt want to postpone the meet. So, intha pakkam aathu kitta romba kashtapadra wife maathiri, plan panniyaachu and i have work the other two days on which my friend is staying, enna pannattum? Can i postpone appadinnu overah scene pottu, illa illa , you go and come nnu avar solla, oru mini mega serial eh veetla odithu.

Finally, the day came. Aathu said i will drop you and  me and Pa will oorsuthify and u text me , i will come and pick you nnu. 

I was confused about my dressing, since it was more than 10 years, should it be formal or informal. Makeup or no-makeup ( namma makeup oru eyeliner and lipstick thaan), Finally decided, let me be comfortable and be myself. So, simple cotton salwar and less makeup. 

The moment i saw one of my friend coming in her vehicle - all of the 10 years flew away. It was as if there was no back - thats the beauty of school friendship right. No pretext, no judgement and nothing.

It was a laughter riot for whole of the 3 hours and the fun was the restaurant people didnt mind us and didnt even disturb us. It was to the point that we had to literally beg them to bring our lunch ( iruntha moonu per la nanga rendu per diabetic vera yaa) She was literally ayya kai kaal ellam nadunguthu konjam saappadu kudunga nnu.

We ordered onion rings and what came was doughtnut shaped onion rings in a stand. We ere like ithu ennathunnu. Naanga etho small ah oru vadam maathiri irukkum , namba style ah eduthu saapdalaam nnu paartha, ithu vaila vechu kadichu decent ah saapda avvalavu kashtama pochu.

Next, tawa fry paneer nnu sonna, mini poori kulla oru paneer filling vanthathu. Itha eppadi saapadrathu nnu yosichu yosichu seri poori maathiri saapadlammnu oru vazhiyaa saptachu.

Now for the main course, starters oru tragedy, ok, appadinnu my friend P - called the waiter and asked for kaaramana oru dish kudunga , ithu varaikkum ore chappu chappunnu irunthathunnu solla, avar mind voice la - aduppula potta melaga irukkunnu sollama brought pulav and mushroom gravy.

Diabetes patients naala - without desert meeting inithe niraivadainthathu........

There was a twist to the meeting in the beginning - athu romba personal - solla mudiyaathu - but it was an incident like - of all the places in chennai and of all these years ah nnu - nadantha oru vishayam.....

Namba olagam muzhukka famous ah - itha yaar padippannu theriyathu , so playing safe ......

hahahahha.........

I dont read my post once i write, so any grammatical mistakes, or if it doesnt make sense, pls forgive :)