the birthday post - 29

This year, I faced an overwhelming amount of change. 
All those annoying quotes about change being constant are starting to make sense now.
I've redefined the meaning of home. 
I've found that you can be rooted even if you're transplanted. 

India is home. 
Well, so the redefinition hasn't helped all that much. 
Much as I romanticize the idea of a nomadic life, for me, home is always one place. A steady, strong presence that's waiting for me as much as I'm looking forward to it. 
Home is the place I can make a cup of coffee or tea to my preference, put my feet up, and sing as I wash the dishes. 

There are many different kinds of people in the world. 
Everywhere, people are the same. 

Emotional attachment can wreck you. 
Letting go is freedom. 
But I think the ones who get attached are the ones are lucky to have experienced it. 
Because too many of us are unfeeling. 
Or maybe we become like that eventually. 

Falling in love can be hard on the heart.  
There's joy in losing your senses... for some time. 

You could either go crazy or choose to be Comfortably Numb. 
Either way, you might get Marooned. 
And then you'd have to Run Like Hell. 
From the two constantly haunting problems – Money and Time. 
Very soon, we'll all be Lunatics on the Grass. 
But there's no harm in having High Hopes... 

Gosh, I've got to stop this now. 
Or else I'll Keep Talking. 

Not everything you do should have some grand motive. 
We should all do a great many things just for jolly. 
I want to grow lots of plants. They make the best decor, no? 

I hardly ever doodle... but don't tell anyone that. 
I can't work without to-do lists. 
I can't live without coffee. 
I mean, of course I can. When you really think about it, our actual needs are very less... I'm slowly leaning towards a more minimalistic lifestyle. 
Slowly. 

Interesting stuff I heard this year: 
"Don't be stupid." – when I told a friend I was homesick and wanted to move back to India. 
"Never be afraid of anything." – the better, unafraid half. 
"This is ghor kalyug." – Amma after Trump's win. 
"Put that machine away! It's very dangerous. We were better off when we didn't have those." – an elderly gentleman sitting next to me at the hospital, referring to my mobile. 

I made a fuss when my mother wanted to send me 100 kgs of stuff from India. 
But I had the most delightful time unpacking all the goodies. 
Family = full glowing happies. 

I love long, long walks. 
I'm a terrible swimmer – but I love swimming. 
It's the only sport I ever liked this much. 
It's a great reminder that you've got to keep your head above the water. Periodically, at least. 

The world is incredibly unpredictable and we're all living in our own little bubbles. 
2016 has been a shocker. 

An ideal way to spend my birthday would be to delete the 2000 unread emails and 3000 drafts in my inbox. 
I've drawn about 400 comics so far. 
I will draw and write for the rest of my life. 

It seems the aim of everyone in the UK is to live in a sprawling home in the countryside, with sheep for company. 
I would feel really isolated in that situation. 

We've all got to take it easy. 
Slow down, you crazy child, he said. Why don't people take the advice of these great musicians? 

Age is just a number. 
And a wrinkle here, a double chin there. 
We underestimate the importance of a good slumber. 
Five years ago, I would've said sleep is distracting me from all the wonderful things I've got to see and do. 
Now, I feel those wonderful things can wait till next morning. 
The world doesn't end overnight. Really. 
Try dropping off the radar for a while. When you come back, in all likelihood, things will be the same. 

I've rid myself of FOMO. 
Try it people. Do away with all these weird acronyms and you'll be happy AF. 

I always used to think that one's got to prepare for the worst...
But I've learnt to trust that nothing will go wrong. 
It's easier to believe that anyway.  
Confidence is your best weapon. 

A friend of mine always used to say, "So what? It's okay. You'll survive." 
I used to get offended back then. 
Now I understand what it means. 

The most important thing in life is life itself. 
That in itself calls for a huge celebration. 

Here's to another year of madness. 

the birthday post - 28

Another year, another budday post!
For the uninitiated, I started the birthday post tradition when I was 21. 
For the regulars, it's been 7 years of my rants in your inbox! 
When I started this, I had just quit an MBA. 
This year, I quit a full-time job. 
All the years in between have been unbelievably exciting.

You get to choose what kind of life you want. 
Make your choice or circumstances work for you. 
Don't feel trapped - it's not worth it. Been there! 
I feel caged really quickly. 

Drawing and writing full-time is a dream come true.  
I have a sneaky feeling that teaching is my true calling.
That TrueCaller app should actually tell you what your true calling is. 
If there's any place on earth I want to revisit, it's the school in Vellore where I used to volunteer.

​I still can't carry a tray of glasses without sticking my tongue out. 
​I'm in awe of people who can stay composed throughout an entire day. 
My emotional graph per day dips and peaks in sine waves. 

Freedom and independence is key. 
No relationship should tie you down or make you feel bound. 

Fear blinds. 
Love cements. 
Trust frees.
Expectations stifle. 
Music heals. 
Freelancing teaches. 

I can look at pictures on the Sanctuary Asia FB group all day. 
A couple of months ago, I went on my first birding trip and fell madly in love! 
I now have a favourite bird per week.
The best thing to do when you're depressed is to watch whale videos. 

It's amazing to fall in love with non-human-beings. 
Fall in love with an animal, a plant, a flower,a book, a hobby, a colour, a song. 

It's amazing to fall in love with that which cannot leave. 
Fall in love with yourself. 

Let down your guard. But protect your peace of mind. 
I learnt that the hard way. 

WordPress defines beauty. 
I'm going to participate in Kala Ghoda festival someday. Maybe next year. 
One day, I'm going to drive my own car on the Bandra-Worli sealink. 
I love busy cities. 


​I used to be a really nice person all the time but nowadays I'm a not-so-nice person. 
I think it's okay to be a not-so-nice person when the situation demands. 
I read once that you should win over the unkindest of people with kindness. 
But I don't want to be kind to assholes. 

Cassette tapes were the best because you actually listened to all the tracks. 
I bought a harmonica this year. I'm struggling to play it. 
I'd like to play the flute some day... perhaps the saxophone too.
But the rich sound of the veena beats all. 

This year, I stood in front of multiple audiences to speak about my work. 
It was terrifying, 
But after I was done, I felt like I was on top of the world. 
I tried ziplining, went on two treks, bathed in waterfalls, encountered elephants, met amazing people last year. 

Interesting things I heard over the year: 
No matter how big the fuck up is, the world doesn't end. (from a friend) 
If my kids to go IIT, their life will be set. They will make my entire village proud. (our driver)  

Jazz is not random. It has structure and form. You have to be thorough with the theory to make it flow. (jazz teacher) 
Hyderabad is a selfish city. Everyone sits at home and plays music. Bring the music out, share, collaborate. Don't hide your talents at home. (jazz teacher)  
My biggest regret is that I didn't follow my dream at your age, so do it when you can. Start young. (a professor)
If you want to seriously live your dream, move to Bombay. (CEO turned full-time flutist) 
I grew up in the forest, and now I'm going to teach my kid its ways. (A new father and wildlife photographer, who took his 3-month old baby to camp in the wild. He'd done it at 6 months) 

Life is short and there's so much to do, see, absorb and experience. 
Life is short and you gotta keep yourself alive, kicking, and happy! 

I always wanted to be skinny, dark and have curly hair. 
Working on it. 
But I'm sort of used to being chubby now. Hurts less on a bike. 
I want to stand on my head soon. 

Old friends are comforting because time has tested the relationship.  
New friendships are both exhilarating and exhausting. 
Investing time and energy understanding the complexities that make up a human being can be rewarding. 
Exhilarating highs usually, at some point, see abysmal lows. 

People keep telling me to not get attached to people and places. 
But what's the point of wading through life without being attached or passionate?! 

Growing plants makes me happy. 
Money plants are the best. 
Money money. It's important. 

Beards still turn me on. 
Every time I fell in love, I thought it was the only time I was in love. 
Loving someone enough to let go of them sounds very nice on posters but is incredibly hard to implement. 

Is it harder to have your own space or give others theirs? 
Time doesn't heal everything. 
But it's easier to pretend there's hope.  

I wear socks with sandals and I doubt that's going to ever change. 
My toes get really cold quickly. 
I listen to Honey Singh sometimes. 
Yeah, how unexpectedly we all evolve! 

​Drawing is therapeutic. 
So are haircuts. 
And other people's babies. 

I'm learning to never get stuck. 
Never get stuck in one place, on one person, on one relationship, on one viewpoint. 
Keep putting one foot ahead of the other. 
Dance at least once a week. 
Shower with music on.

Do everything you love. 
Do everything you fear. 
Do everything you haven't. 

I sound so freaking preachy. It seems age does that to you.
But I'm 28 and life's just begun! 

Go out and celebrate everybuddy! 
Have a absolutely fantastic year ahead!