Looking Back, Moving Forward

September turns into December with a blink of an eye.

And yes, things have changed these past few months. For one, I am no longer walking on the thin line of taking care of  a kid and working from home. I now officially have an out of home job, new colleagues and a life of my own. Yay!

One month into the job, I am grateful, very thankful to God & The Universe for this opportunity. It is just what I needed. This year has been quite a trying year for me...but I did enjoy the fact that I tried something different. Looking after a baby is no mean feat. Looking after a baby and trying to look for work is even more difficult. But at the end of the day, it's important to look at the bigger picture and what I learnt from this period. Lesson 1: I am capable of taking care of a baby. Lesson 2: Life is short and I need to make sure that I do what I want to do.

I've also learnt to look at my myself in the mirror and loving that reflection. Yes, I do wear glasses but I still think I'm pretty good looking. ;) And it's been a revelation that it no longer hurts when people judge me from a single photograph they see online and that it doesn't matter if they don't want to get to know me because of that.  Why waste precious time and energy on people who are not worth it?

Looking forward to 2013 (since the Mayan's prediction of the world coming to an end didn't work out, as I expected), I will continue to work on my health, eat better and exercise more. I will work on being more independent and staying true to myself. I will also try to be a better friend to my friends, better daughter and sister and aunty to Juhi. And open my heart once again to possibilities of life.

Cheers 2012, Hola 2013!

Anu

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I Await

And oh, it looks like the new beginning is a little delayed. But I don't mind one bit. I await the right moment for it to begin. :)

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My Selfish Happy Self

Sometimes (or rather almost always) it pays to be selfish. If being selfish is doing something that you enjoy - it can't be that bad can it? As long as you don't kill/harm someone else in that process of being happy, its all good.

After months of hard work and soul searching, I decided that I needed some time out and that I would go out to a club, listen to some good music and drink a little alcohol. It has been years (and I mean almost 8 years) since I last went to a club, so I excited about the prospect of getting my feet wet in the club scene once again.

So I put my heels (the only ones I had), wore my favourite new dress and loop earrings and headed out to a new club with a few friends.

And it was almost like how it was when I left the scene, minus the good looking guys. (They must have gone to another club yesterday.) While it took me a while to get into the dancing zone, when the happy buzz kicked in, I was on a roll. Out came my 90's moves! After lots of songs, several alcoholic beverages later, I was having a blast - right until we decided to call it a night at 4am.

The point is I had to do something for myself after months of doing things for others. And it felt great! And I still feel fabulous! So to all of those people who believe that you should think of others first, before yourself - I strongly oppose this idea. I challenge you to do something for yourself. Chances are you will be so happy and want to genuinely think of others next.

So call me selfish, I call me happy. Looking forward the many more me-time sessions I will have in the future. :)

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New Beginnings

New beginnings.

You crave for it and when it comes...the first instinct is to retreat, to say wait, I'm not ready yet. But the truth is you know there is no such thing as being ready. Unless you are in a desperate situation. If life is bearable, then new beginnings can also be quite scary. The unknown can be scary sometimes.

But deep in your heart, you know that whatever is in store for you in the future, you are ready to take it on. Ready to learn something new, make mistakes, learn from them and be a better person. Ready to meet new people and perhaps even to learn something from them. New friendships, new bonds, new, new, new!

So here's a little note to new beginning. I'm ready, come get me. :)

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Busy Bee

Well, it's been months since I last updated my blog.

Who or what shall take the blame this time? My busy schedule? My months of babysitting? My efforts in maintaining the online website VS? Baby Juhi? My uninspired self?

The answer is - all of the above.

Truth is, these past few months have been quite overwhelming. First of all, I've got a taste of working from home and I didn't like it all that much. I miss having colleagues, hanging out with those colleagues, being a part of a larger unit.

It didn't help when most of my days were spent talking to a baby. Five months ago, I would have never guessed that I would be able to take care of a child. And I'm pretty damn good at it. Salute to mothers everywhere, I know now what a hard job it is, especially for those full-time, at home mums.

Just as I was wondering about the direction my life was going in, I went for a holiday to America with my mom. A holiday, that I didn't feel I deserved. But strolling on the streets of New York in late June, I realised I did indeed deserve the break, although it was not one that I planned.

It gave me time to think about what I really wanted in life and as much as I enjoy my days with Juju and writing (or attempting to) in between, I know that this is not a permanent solution for me. I need more and I am working towards it now.

And I'm excited about the prospects. :)

Anu

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Me Gusta!

I travel like Rolf Potts !
You are a travel legend in the making, with a sense of adventure that will lead to hundreds of fascinating stories. Locals all over the world will give you special nicknames, and almost all of them will be complimentary.
What type of traveler are you? Take BootsnAll's Travel Quiz to find out.

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Instagram Photos 1.0

It's been a while and I've been busy. And the truth is, I've discovered a new love. Instagram. Here's a few photos to look at while I get my next post ready.

The Lonely Piano @KLPac

Langkawi <3

Pantai Cenang 

Time To Go Rasta!

                                                             

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Book Review: Shakespeare's Mistress

Shakespeare's Mistress by Karen Harper
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Anne Whateley takes centre stage in this book, as friend and lover of famous playwright William Shakespeare.

Going through happy and tumultuous times, the two fall in love and eventually marry in secret. However, soon after their wedding, Will is persuaded to marry Anne Hathaway, a woman he insists he is not in love with, but who is pregnant with his child.

Nobody knows about Anne Whateley is his legal wife and she in turn is devastated at his betrayal. Then her father dies and she leaves her home at Temple Grafton and lives with friends in London.

Life has other plans for Anne Whateley and William Shakespeare, as their paths cross and lives intertwine; as the playwright writes his
masterpieces and their relationship carries on until his death.

Well researched, detailed and interesting, it is a good book for historical fiction fans, particular in the Tudor period.

View all my reviews

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My Little Universal Flower

Welcome to the world...Juhi Emma Joel.

While I had nine months to prepare for this little angel, it was only on February 7, 2012 at when I realised that life will no longer be the same for me. At long last, my sister got that baby that she always wanted. And two days after she was born, I was already a little bit less selfish. I am cutting down my Internet time, I don't feel the need to go out that much. And now any money that I earn would not only just be for me, but also for Baby Juhi.

Fair or not, I already have a few dreams for Juhi. I imagine that when she is 19 or 20, she would want to see a bit of the world. And when that happens, I will help her out with the money I saved for her for that particular reason. Or if she wanted to continue her studies and needs a little extra moolah, I would be able to help her out with it, even if it is just a little bit. It's going to be her money, so she can do whatever she wants with it.

In the meantime, I am going to focus on being the coolest aunty ever. I look forward to sharing new moments with you, Juhi. <3

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Gracias Universo

Inspired by my friend Sri's thank you post to the Universe  here is my little tribute to the Universe for the past year.

The year started off on a quiet note, with me trying to move on after my dad passed on in late 2010. It wasn't easy but with the help of family, friends and work, I managed to get to a better place.

I took solace in travelling, a passion I inherited from my father. I decided to go to one new place - Hong Kong, which proved to be a interesting city to visit. Then my mom decided that she wanted to fulfill my dad's wish of taking me to see the Taj Mahal, so we ended up visiting Delhi-Agra-Jaipur-Shimla in early August.

A sudden but not unexpected career detour in September allowed me to make my dream of going to Spain come true. My first solo trip for a month was completed successfully and with lots of stories to remember by.

By the end of the year, I decided to chill out for a bit before working with my friend on writing projectswhile looking for freelancing jobs... and here we are...reaching the end of January.

So thank you Universe for allowing me so much travel last year. I truly appreciate it. And for giving me lots of support in the form of family friends, good books and awesome music. Thank you for letting me to take the plunge out of my 'stable' job and putting my faith to something a little different and new. Also for allowing me to love a little, to take a risk and for letting me take my time to get over it when things came tumbling down.

This year, please continue to be with me as I continue to learn to be a better daughter, sister, grand daughter, niece, aunty, friend. I hope you will give me more opportunities for me to go beyond my comfort zone and watch me love the experience. Help me continue taking risks and tell me when to draw the line. While I'm on a quest to love, learn and find happiness within me, I hope you give me good times, delightful memories and little sweet surprises.

Thanking you in advance. Anu.

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