Action Replay: October 2016

Image Source

Two months to go and we're done with the year? Wow, 2016 did pass in a flash! While the rest of the year looked bleak to me, October some how managed to lift up my spirits. Finally 2016 started looking up towards the end of the year. Better late than never, right? October was a relatively free month for me in terms of work and I did get to enjoy some good "me" time. The biggest achievement for this month was that I finished my reading challenge for the year. Last year I had signed up to read 10 books and crawled my way to get to it. This year I had signed up for 30 and finished it with two months to spare! Better planning did the trick for me. I'm thinking of going for a book a week next year. 52 books in 12 months should be doable you think? Well, I still have two months to make up my mind on that.

While reading was excellent in October, writing wasn't that bad too. 12 posts a months is the max I've got since the A-Z challenge in April. Like I said in my last replay post, I did end up making a checklist with the topics I wanted to talk about. It grew day by day and I managed to write some good quality posts. Most of the topics are checked by now and I add new topics to the list as and when something comes to my mind. It wasn't easy to write three posts a week while managing to read at the same time, but I just went for it. Turns out, I can do much more than what I thought I can do.

I have been wanting to start a series of posts about my experience in the corporate world for a long time now. I was able to do it this time. Corporate Circus #1 was received well and I did enjoy writing it. I'll have one such post every month to break the monotony from the other posts. I also realized that I enjoy reviewing books too. Earlier, I used to sign up for reviews on various sites and read and review the books. Most of the books were from Indian authors and they usually tested my patience. That is when I realized that such forced reviews were not my cup of tea. I'd rather pay and buy a book and review it if I want to rather than get free books and have someone sit on my head to review it on time. Reading should not be forced. All the books that I have received as part of the book review program have now made their way to NGOs and underprivileged homes and some to the local raddi waala only because I do not want anyone else to go through the pain I did. I now read what I want to read and if I have something to say about the book, I'd review it. It makes me feel really nice as well.

In the name of God was a post that was plaguing me since three odd years. I have seen religion and God being abused in the name of traditions or for the desperate need of a wish and it was something that I had to talk about. Conscious Uncoupling did have its title borrowed from Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin's infamous divorce declaration, but the post stated all that I think of marriage and divorce. Wife Beating had to be spoken about as I was getting increasingly frustrated and annoyed with the circulation of anti-wife jokes. Just thinking about it psyches me out. October also thought me one thing. Once I write something and get it out of my system, I do not think about it much after that. Although not forgotten, a few days later, it is replaced with something new.

I, unfortunately am blessed with an elephant's memory and I more often than not remember the bad things that has happened than the good ones. I do hold on to grudges and I now am trying my best to let some of it go. Sadly, even if I make my peace with it, the bad memory still remains seeded. This is how I have been since I was a little girl and it continues. It does get difficult to separate a person from a memory, I have tried my best and then given up. I cannot fake things. If I like someone I'll go out of my way to make them feel comfortable and happy. But if I don't like someone than I stay away and keep my distance from them. I'm not the one to fake a smile and feign respect and act like a good host. I do not want to feel uncomfortable while trying to make someone else comfortable. Especially the people I do not even like.

April to September were hectic for Cal and I in terms of work as well as emotional baggage. The family that is expected to support us was pulling us down. We couldn't take a break from either of it and were tensed and stressed to the bone. The last vacation that we took was in March and we just wanted to get away from all this for a while. The vacation we had planned in September did not materialize due to the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu Cauvery water issue. In October, Cal and I finally took off to Goa for an impromptu trip. This gave us the much needed break and peace from everything we had left behind. That is the best part about vacations. You go to a place and leave all your negative thoughts there and come back clean. Goa is a place that has given us so much peace until now and it still continues to. While people think that Goa is all about the beach, booze and weed, it also is about some really good food and beautiful places to visit. This time we skipped the beach shacks and explored the local cafes. It was the best decision ever and I think that the best way to explore a place is through its local places and food. I have so much to say about travelling and vacations, but I'll save that for another post. Yes, that goes on to my checklist as well.

October brought in some much needed peace in my life and slowed it down. I am all for adventure and a fast paced life, but at times I do need to slow down and collect my thoughts. October helped me do that. It also helped me nurture my reading and writing and a few other passions that was left behind. Among all this, none of my daily stuff got affected. I still am the corporate homemaker who has someone managed to strike a balance between work, household chores and her passions.

How did October treat you?