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Action Replay: November 2016

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November left me all dazed. With the days passing by so quickly, I'm struggling to stay still and absorb what's happening around me. November started off very well with a vacation in Goa. It was a much needed break and we did come back totally rejuvenated. Vacations are meant to do that aren't they? They take away all your stress and you come back feeling light and fresh to make better memories and do better work. A week after Goa, we left to Mumbai. Yes, for the Coldplay concert. This was my first ever concert! I know that Bangalore has held so many music festivals, but I have never been to any of it. I actually was pissed that the Coldplay concert or the Global Citizen event was not happening in Bangalore. I knew that this had to be my first concert. Although the tickets cost us a kidney and a lung each, we decided to go for it.

Once you have had a taste of Bangalore, it spoils you. I am born and brought up in this city and I love it so much. Any other city in the country, apart from Bangalore and I get homesick in an instant. I have been to Mumbai twice before but this time I really explored it. I did not hate it, but I did not like it either. We were staying at Carter road and everyone kept telling us about how Aamir Khan and Sachin Tendulkar were our neighbors. How was it expected to make a difference to us, I have no clue. But yes, I did visit Shahrukh Khan's house and take a picture in front of it. Clichéd and silly I know, but I just had to do it. By visit I mean, I stood outside his closed gate and looked at it in awe. I have loved him since I can remember and this was one thing off my bucket list. Yes, this actually was on the list. Call me crazy. Yes, I am.

Then came the concert. I was thrilled to the core. This wasn't a concert just for Coldplay. It was the Global Citizen event that was held to raise an awareness about sanitation and female infanticide. There was a line up of a lot of artists and it was understood that Coldplay would come in at the last. We walked in when Sonakshi Sinha was singing. The heat was at its peak and the place was so damn crowded. Grabbing our free bottles of water we pushed our way through the crowd and managed to grab a decent spot right at the beginning of our zone. We had the railing to hold on to and we decided not to move from here. Time passed so quickly after that! I saw Shahrukh Khan and I went crazy. He's such a witty host and had the audience in splits. Then came the legendary Mr. Amitabh Bachchan. He recited his verses from Pink and the crowd went berserk when his baritone filled the air. What a voice! Shraddha Kapoor performed and ruined the event for all of us momentarily. Farhan Akhtar performed next and it was really entertaining. Thankfully he stuck to songs only from the first Rock On movie and not the second one. Jay Z rapped to a background medley of popular bollywood songs. Quite fun it was.

After around eight hours, came the moment everyone was waiting for. The whole stage turned yellow and then the magic began. Chris Martin and his band were out there and the lead singer left no stones unturned to entertain us. What a performer! While the songs were great in itself, the stage settings for each song was magical and trippy. Enchanting might be the word I'm looking for. I was screaming and my legs were dead from standing in the same position for more than eight hours. All the pain was forgotten once Coldplay came into picture. Call it magic, but my head full of dreams did come true. The sky was full of stars and it was nothing short of paradise. This indeed was an adventure of a lifetime and was the perfect hymn for the weekend. When A. R. Rahman (who had performed beautifully earlier) came on stage to sing Vande Matharam to Chris Martin's music, it was soul stirring. Especially when Chris Martin held the Indian flag and went trippy over it. Oh, what a scene it was. Another tick on the bucket list! After the event, due to the lack of transport because of thousands of people, Cal and I roamed the streets of Mumbai in the night. The city is very safe, no doubt about that.

We found an auto who took us home with no extra fare. The meter read forty eight bucks from Bandra station to Carter road and when we paid him fifty bucks he had two bucks ready to give us back. Wow! Had this been Bangalore, the auto driver would have charged us five hundred bucks for sure. More, if possible. The autos are amazing in Mumbai. They all go by the meter and I don't think we ever paid more than eighty bucks for a ride in our four day stay there. We even took the local train and loved it. Brilliant connectivity! Bangalore could learn something about public transport from Mumbai.

After two back to back holidays we went headlong into work. While work consumed most of my time, reading continued to hold its pace. I read five books this month and almost all of them have been really good. I just finished reading 'Daughter' by Jane Shemilt yesterday and I'm still trying to figure out my feelings about it. Since I was away for most of the month, writing had to take a backseat. I had a lot of interesting topics planned, but I did not have enough time to give life to it. Out of a few posts that I wrote, one did manage to create havoc and I had three people justifying to me about the "bold" comment they made about me. You know, what's more funny? I wasn't talking about either of them in my post. The best part was that I wasn't even aware that these people had made such comments about me on social media. Well, I must have a lot more people who talk about me behind my back than I think. If that makes them happy, then so be it. Also, be sure to read my "About the blog" section above.

November ended with gloom when black Friday decided to live up to its name. My parents met with an accident on their way to meet my sister and I. Multiple fractures, surgery, hospital environment and some recuperating later, they are back at home in their comfort zone. Although it will be months before they heal completely, they are doing way better than what they were when I saw them on Friday, right after the surgery. At the moment, I'm way too emotionally drained to talk/write about it. When your parents fall ill, multiple emotions plague you. You need to stay strong for them and yet some part of you crumbles inside. Their pain, their helplessness gets to you and takes away something from you. They are now healing, and so am I. It might take quite some time for me to get this episode out of my system. Thanks to all my friends who stood by me throughout this ordeal and gave me the strength I needed. That's why I stick to a handful of people, and let go of the ones who don't understand the difference between a compliment and a complaint. Good riddance is what I call it.

While November started of with a high, it ended in a not so good way. But at the end it was a win win for everybody. 2016 hasn't exactly been good to me, I guess it's the bad karma from the people that I have managed to piss off. Either ways, I'll face it with all the strength I have. If I have done something bad, I deserve the wrath. That's how it works. Always. I'll probably do more good now, for better karma.


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Well, hello December! Please be good, will you?

How was your November?

Comments

  1. I am sorry to hear about your parents. Wishing them speedy recovery.
    And Coldplay in India and you happen to be my only friend who saw him live :D I was boasting of you .

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  2. P.S - I moved to word press. Do check out - https://theenchantressweb.wordpress.com/

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  3. Hope your parents are on the path to recovery. It indeed can get stressful when parents arent doing too well. But I can understand your thoughts on Bangalore. I have lived and grown up in the city , but left it 10 years back. Still miss it, but not really in its present form. But the city that I left behind.

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    1. They are much better now, thanks!

      Bangalore has changed a lot, yes. Still better than more cities though.

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  4. Oh fuck...that really sucks about your parent's accident! It would have been super scary and stressful for you and your sister. I'm glad to hear thought they are back home and recuperating. Sending all my good thoughts for their quick recovery. And sending you a whole lot of strength!

    The music festival sounded quite cool...I've been lots of concerts but haven't done a music festival yet. Coldplay are not my favourite band but I did hear they do good live shows. Glad you enjoyed it. Also, the way you feel about Bangalore was how I felt about Bombay when I lived in India :)

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    1. Thank you dear Sanch! It was a very emotionally taxing time.

      Ah ha, I guess Bombay has its own charm in some way.

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  5. My prayers for your parents. Hope December would be a month of happiness, fun & laughter for you !!!

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  6. That's so sad about your parents. The time your parents don't do well is probably one of the most stressful and emotionally and physically draining times. I hope they recover soon.

    I so wanted to go to the concert but I was I couldn't manage to get the tickets and we went to Thailand instead. I regret missing the concert :( but a trip to Thailand is kinda makes up for it I guess.

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    1. Oh yes, it is so emotionally taxing! :(

      Ah ha, it does make up for it. Twice.

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  7. November seems like it was a jam packed month for you..Mumbai is quite a city like no other...unless one experiences it, they will never know. I have my own fond memories of the city.

    It's frightening when parents get hurt...I can understand how emotionally drained you might be be. take care. sending healing hugs their way.

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  8. Let December be far far better, that is what I wish. For you and for your parents

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  9. I was waiting to read about your experience in Mumbai and I am so happy you had such a lovely time. Wishes coming true is the best thing ever.
    Which post managed to turn people off? Tell me more.
    Wishing Uncle-Aunty, a speedy recovery. Hope the remaining days of 2016 bring you joy.

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    1. Thank you so much dear Parul.

      I'll tell you about the post next time we meet :)

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  10. It's not bad Karma or anything! If life was smooth, you wouldn't enjoy it either. God keeps testing our capabilities so that we feel we deserve all the happiness that comes our way.
    Much love to your parents. :)

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  11. And the 'About the Blog' - Oh My God!!!! Sometimes I wish I were you!!

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  12. Just reading about the concert made me look up Google for new concert dates. I can totally visualize how exciting and amazing it must have been. 5 books! You are a machine.
    Oh I pray for the wellbeing of your parents... it's feels so terrible to see them in pain. I went through the same emotions in Nov... one tends to feel so helpless. Hope they get well faster. And hugs to you too.

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    1. Well, somehow managed time better :)

      Thank you so much Raj. I need all the hugs and love I can get.

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