Am I Workaholic?

I've always wanted to run a school of my own....ever since I was in school myself. After I finished my MBA, I came across this course MS Education Management and took it up, on the spur of the moment. On completion of the course, I got a job with a school as the Executive Officer. It is actually the job of a Vice Principal, but since I dont have a B.Ed degree, my designation is Executive Officer. Now, this job is just about perfect. It is quite a small school, so I learn a lot of little things about administration. The Principal is a darling...she gives me all the freedom I need, so I can experiment new things that come up on my mind. The teachers here are all one big family. Now, since this school is in a village, there are a lot of things that these kids dont know and the ideas I try to implement really make a huge difference to them. I'm so happy that I am able to make a difference in so many children's lives. Its so fulfilling to be around so many small children, who blindly trust you so much and whose life you can change in your own small sweet way. I've realised that I am at my happiest when I am at school. I hate weekends, since I cant go to school then. Its not like I have a target to acheive or a deadline to reach...or additional pay to earn... its just that I enjoy what I am doing, wholeheartedly. Am I Workaholic?

Trip to Coutrallam

This year's Santhosha Kudumbam Annual Get-Together was held in Coutrallam, during the last weekend of May 2007. About 10 of my mom's first cousins along with their families attended. It was as usual, a lot of fun. We went to the 'border kadai' in Sengkottai for hot yummy parottas. We were put up in the Kerela PWD Bungalow... it was truly a Chandramuki's Bungalow, in the sense that it was like it was not used for years... cobwebs and all.... lol. But it was really huge, with acres of mangrooves around it. It was like we were totally shut off from the world. The downside was that there was no water in any of the waterfalls, since the monsoon rains were late this year. But we had good chilly climate and we also got to see the rocks of the main falls with absolutely no water on them (a first, for me). We went for a picnic to this dam...which was again dry...so dry that we walked into it and had a tug of war for the kids. Talking of games...the amazing part was the games we played. It started with Murali Mama and the kids playing cricket. And about 17 of us playing cards (Donkey)...my, a game would go one for an hour, with Kanagu Mama with a hat trick record! And then, we decided to run around a little. So all of us played chain hook, help, lock and key (kids and adults alike). It had us all panting and hungry for the lunch that was waiting for us. Chitra Chithi (the host) had a lot of games prepared for us. It also happened to be Madhu's b/day. She cut a big cake, didnt blow candles though...the wind didnt allow the candles to be lit! We also had party hats, party poopers, candy, gifts etc. And I had trained the kids (Shiva, Guha, Dushmita, Arjun, Surya) for a few programmes to be performed during the Gala Nite....Kaarunya did a dance too and sang a song. Madhav and I did a dance.... it was all good. We did miss the others in the big family who didnt/couldnt make it. The pics should make them all jealous. Another memorable weekend in my life!

Why dont I believe in Ghosts?

People always wonder why I dont get affected by ghost stories, why I can watch scary movies, without it haunting me afterwards... And the answer is simple. "I dont believe in ghosts." Now if you are wondering why I dont believe in ghosts, the answer is again simple. If I believe in ghosts, then I'll have to be scared of walking in the dark, watching scary movies at midnight, lying in bed when its raining outside and there's a power failure... What is life without these little thrills! It may sound kiddish to you...but what I'm trying to say here is that its better to avoid asking questions, the answers of which you will not be very happy with. No use upturning a stone, when you know that there may be a snake hiding under. I'd rather scorn ghosts than shiver in my pants each time the dog howls at night!

Small is Beautiful!

Something happened today that made me really happy. I suddenly wanted to watch the video of the song “Munbae Vaa” and was telling my mom that I wouldn’t switch the TV off till I got to see that song. I surfed all the channels but none of the programmes had any signs of playing the song. Finally, I reached Sun Music, where a caller had requested for the “New York Nagarm” song. As it was getting late, I decided to settle for that song, from the same movie… But somehow, they didn’t play it. They played “Munbae Vaa” and I went to sleep, a happy girl, that night. And it made me just reflect on how such small things like this can bring happiness in our lives. I am so grateful that I have no grave problem to worry about and that I can enjoy the small, special moments in life.

MADras!!!

My brother Madhav finished his studies in Chennai and just came home. Before he vacated the city, he wanted me to come there, so that he could take me around and show me all the places. I finally got to fulfill that dream in the first week of March, 2007. The whole trip was exciting. For starters, it was the first time I was traveling alone by train. It was also the first time Madhav and I got to spend quality time together, doing fun things, that too without our parents around. We spent four days on his bike…roaming all over the place. We went to all the tourist spots in Chennai…museums, planetarium, temples, historical places like Valluvar Kottam, St.Thomas Mount. We also went to shopping malls and of course Pondy Bazaar. Went for a movie in Inox…my first time in a multiplex. And I practically lived on burgers, so much that I got a bit tired of it. And we traveled by electric train, which made it all the more exciting. Madhav looked after me so well that no one would have believed that he is my ‘younger’ bro. In the end, I didn’t want to leave Chennai…I’m so much in love with the pace of the city. Made me realize how much touch I had lost with the outside world, in these three years. I returned home with a tanned, smiling face; twinkling eyes, a CD full of photographs….and loads of stories to tell my folks! A trip I can never forget, ever.