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!
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!
