Thirty Going On Thirteen

Couple of weeks before my 13th birthday I asked my mom if I can have three new outfits for my birthday. Both of us were surprised I asked. Me, because I never asked anything for birthdays. I didn’t have wrapped gifts waiting when I woke up on birthdays. My mom was surprised because I asked and that too not just one but three outfits. Few days later, she said it’s not possible and we can afford only one new dress. I sucked it up. My aunt who was visiting us said, “Well, when you get married, you can have your husband buy you as many dresses as you want”. I told her that day that I will never wait for someone to buy me anything and If I want something, I will work for it myself. I wasn’t arrogant about it when I said it. It felt very ‘matter of fact’ for me at that time. I am glad my parents didn’t just get me everything. It definitely gave me motivation and I got the taste of my first paycheck when I was 16, three thousand rupees (Less than $100). I worked as a news anchor for a local cable channel (I still can’t believe I did that. What was I thinking?). Surprisingly I didn’t go out and buy any new dress. That money was spent for my TOEFL exams and other things. But the whole ‘new dress on birthday’ just stayed with me. So for the last 12 years (After moving to US), I made it a point to buy a new outfit for my birthday.

Birthdays are always special to me. I know for some, it’s just another day but not for me. I am here, I am alive then I am celebrating that day. I love birthday parties, I love everyone making a big deal about it. This year was my big 30th and I was away from the family. I didn’t have the ‘hoopla’ I envisioned that I would do for my 30th. But I finally made my “three outfits” into reality. I got me a reservation at the spa for some pampering. I made reservations for dinner and I made sure I kept me happy that day. And I didn’t have to ask anyone for anything. I was able to do it myself.

Few days later it got me thinking though. Am I still 13? Does being a 30 year old mean I have to start saying “Oh it’s just another day. I am getting old”, even though I don’t mean it? Does it mean I will stop ‘celebrating’? Nope. No way, no how. I worked way too hard to be where I am and nothing will bring me down from feeling how I feel. Thirteen or Thirty, you still have to rely on you and only you for your happiness and no one can hand it to you. Would it be nice? Yes. Can it happen? Not always. That’s when you tell yourself, “Suck it up butter cup”. That’s when you decide which route you want to chose. The one where you are pissed off and sulking or the one where you are still pissed off, but are able to work on getting over the anger and finding ways to cool off. Both ways are difficult. Personally I have chosen both routes at certain points of my life. Part of growing old, you see yourself choosing the second route more often than the first :). That's the difference between 30 and 13 ;).

Here is a pic of the familia at the birthday dinner:

'You Get What You Get'

Few weeks ago V came home to announce his teacher told the class "You get what you get and you don't throw a fit". I ran with it. I have never heard it before and I love it :). Fast forward to yesterday when Prabu was cutting a cantaloupe and asked V to get him a box to store it. Here is how it went down:

P: Vikram, could you get me a box to store the fruit please
V: Here appa
P: It's very tiny, could you give me the big one.
V: You get what you get and you don't throw a fit appa
P: Well, I am not throwing a fit. You can say that if I was asking for something that's not there. You can see the fruit I cut up won't fit in the box you gave right?
V:Yes
P: You see a big box in the cabinet?
V:Yes
P: Well, then you can not say that in this situation because we have a bigger box to fit the fruit.
V:Oh, I am sorry appa. Here is a big box.

I wish I recorded the conversation. I was in the living room when the conversation between the two started and towards the end I locked myself in the bathroom laughing hysterically (Sorry Prabs...lol). I just can't believe the brat gave it back to us.

Here's him in Atlanta making funny faces like his cousins:).

Get Some Wine For This Cheese (A.K.A Love Story 2001)

"Oh My! He is hot"
"I think she is the boss's daughter"
"So he is a consultant here eh."
"Really? She works here?"
"Good lord. He is shy"
"She is very talkative"
"I think I will just ask the gang for a movie"
"I want to take her out for dinner on my birthday"
"Nice, finally he's got my number"
"I will call her after work"
"My dream phone voice. My dream phone voice"
"Ok. So girls are crazy"
"I bet he thinks I will pick a chick flick"
"I can't believe she picked Blair Witch 2"
"I can't eat. My stomach is full of butterflies"
"No wonder she is skinny. She hardly touched her food"


"Her name is Sowjanya and I want to marry her"
"His name is Prabu and I just asked him to marry me"

Circa 2003 :)

2010

All 'Growed' Up

April 4th was Ugadi. I am back to working crazy hours but decided I should cook something different considering it's a festival. So between debugging and deep-frying, I didn't have time to take V to the park. I asked him if he wanted to go by himself. He gave me a look of surprise and then got all excited that I am letting him go by himself. It's right across from our apartment. So he got ready with is helmet and bike and I gave him a list of instructions :).

Me: Play nice. Don't talk to strangers.
V: Yes amma
Me: If your friend says, "Come to my house and play"...
V: I shouldn't go right. I should come to your house.
Me: haha. It's our house honey :). If your friend wants you to come, you need to come and check with me and let me know where you are. You can't just go without asking permission because I will be worried.
V: I will come back in 10 minutes and tell you.

So off he went. He came back and was super excited. It's like he accomplished this major task by himself. Now his favorite thing to say is, "I will be five soon amma. I am all growed up". Yup that's his 'word'. Now you know why we have him doing reading at Kumon :).

Here's him wearing Kingsley Flood T-shirt (It's mine - he is 'sharing'lol). He calls it 'Naseem Uncle's shirt' :).

Take Me With You

I tried walking
You ran away
I tried running
You flew away

I tried writing
You can't read
I tried singing
You can't listen

I am here now
You are not
Take me with you
For I want to fly

Questions And Statements

V has been sleeping in his room by himself for a while now. Before bed ritual now includes tickle time with Prabu, brush, book and bed. Right after he gets into bed, he loves to chat and call us every 2 minutes :). For few days he tried, "Amma, I need 10 hugs and 10 kisses today". And I fell for it. Then I realized, he would hug me and won't let me go. Brat I tell ya :).Then he would call me or Prabu saying, "But I have a question". Here is last week's conversation between him and Prabu

V: Appa
P:Time to sleep Vikram
V:But I have a question
P: Ok, what's your question?
V: Amma recorded new Mickey Mouse for me today
P:That's not a question. That's a statement. When you ask something it's a question. When you just say things that happened that's a statement. So call us if you really have questions. And even if you do, ask them during the day if you can :).

Fast forward to today. I pick him up from pre-school and he says, "Amma, I have a statement". I had to try very hard not to laugh. So I said what's your statement honey. "I had a great day at school. How was your work?"

Gotta love the brat at times :). Here's a latest picture of him. He tries very hard to dress like Prabu :).

I am Mad

PS: This is a political, purely opinionated 'I have to get this off my chest' post. Not about V or about his cuteness. You want that, click on some picture links on the right ;).

Like I have never been before. I get angry. Angry to the point of yelling and screaming and wanting to throw something ( I think I might have done that too few times). But my anger today is going to cross all boundaries. Here is the reason for my 'I-can-punch-someone-right-now' anger. Texas approves bill requiring sonogram before abortion. The shortest version of that news article is that Texas state approved a bill that now 'requires' a woman to get an ultrasound if she wants to have an abortion. Because you know women wake up every day and say "Yippie,how fun. I am going for an abortion. Let me have a party".

Are you effing kidding me Mr. Perry (Watch it dude, I heard Karma is truly a bitch)? What's next, you will tell me if I should use pads or tampons when I get my period. Do I look like your puppet? Are constitutional rights for select group of people? You would think these idiots would work on making birth-control pills easily accessible to woman. But no. Let's cry and scream and say "My tax dollars are paying for your abortion". You know what, screw you again. It takes more/all of my tax dollars to raise the 8 kids that an idiot decided to give birth to because she thought she is the next Angelina Jolie than to someone who needed an abortion because she was raped.

I had to have a colonoscopy when I was 19. Why don't you make a new law that says every one who get's that procedure done HAS to (oh in your words is required to) watch the procedure after wards on video? Sounds good? You know damn well why you passed this bill. Get off our back. I will have sex if I want to and I will have an abortion if I want to. It's my choice. Let me say it again in case you can't hear it. It's my choice. Now back off.