How come it took me so long to make my own blog?

Well, simple – trying to decide which of my thought processes, worldly wisdoms, observations made as I go along life, would I want to analyze and write in detail and then make the effort to upload AND be alright with other people reading it and making THEIR own analysis about it –would obviously take time, about more time than it took for you to read it!! Before you say it, yes, my teachers in schools used to insist I write shorter sentences. But hey, what’s a blog, if I can’t write the way I want to?!

I remember one creative writing article I wrote for class (class VIII) – The Art of Eating a Pizza – mom’s idea and her inputs sprinkled throughout like the assorted toppings I mentioned in it. At least it was an original topic. Come to think of it, probably I should get mom to make her own blog! She made my style of thinking and writing more creative than I would ever have on my own.

I remember keeping a diary – Betty Cooper style – but considering the age I started it, it only used to be filled with extremely silly sounding ramblings on the numerous crushes I had over the teenage years (and heh heh a wee bit after teenage years too!)! Now of course I wish I wrote more about the places I visited and the people who touched my life, like for instance my grandfather’s friend – used to call him ‘Tata’ – that’s what we call our grandpa in Andhra Pradesh. He used to delight in my growing tall and was quite happy the day we stood shoulder to shoulder as always to compare and I had crossed his height! He helped me make a clock out of old cigarette packets (he was a chain smoker) – charms brand, as I recall, pretty blue thing, hexagon shape. Of course I being the impatient soul that I am managed to crush it carrying it from Delhi, where I went to visit them, back home to Chandigarh (I grew up in C’garh) in the train itself, and same day as I made it. But I remember the clock – maybe one day I’ll practice making it again – will need to smoke much more than I do to accumulate the requisite cigarette packet stock ;-D !!

I also remember our visit to rock garden in Chandigarh where we met Nek Chand – (really appreciate that man’s work and dedication). He gave us a souvenir for the visit – for the life of me, I can’t find it and don’t even remember now what it was! I think sometimes there should be a handicam following us everywhere for future reference! Wouldn’t that be interesting and in some instances utterly mortifying!!?

Tata used to keep describing a coastal town in AP – Kakinada – where they had a base – and used to keep telling us to visit him there. Especially after they did some construction – in fact I had wanted to buy property there after he showed me the blueprints and plans and gave such a solid sales pitch, but never ended up doing it. I finally did visit Kakinada, a very pretty little coastal town in AP, but after Tata passed away. Thought of him during the entire trip. Ammamma (his wife), again refer to her too as my Grandma, though we are not directed related, whom we stayed with and she took mom and me around the town and some adjoining villages. One of those was Uppada, where you get Uppada work sarees, we visited the weavers – and I considered NGO work as a possible future option (in fact I still do, but that’s another story).

Though I have not gone back to see for myself, I’m told the 2004 Tsunami had destroyed that village. Maybe I WILL go back, now that I have moved to Hyderabad – AP has lovely backwater regions of its own – not marketed well obviously (and in some ways luckily). One interesting sight I saw during one of the drives near Kakinada was this field of tall willowy trees, all growing slanting – same direction away from the sea. Found it so unusual – apparently they have been growing like that since the cyclone in early 1970’s!

Though I didn’t start out intending to write about them, I seem to have done so. And now that I think of it – I pat myself on an excellent choice of topic for my “first”! Both of them, extremely loving, cheerful (Ammamma’s laugh is so hearty and she always seems to be giggling), ambitious go-getters, outgoing, and full of life. They made an impact on whoever met them and Ammamma continues to do so. And boy they used to travel – that itself is an influencing factor on me! She keeps picking up little knick knacks for people – some people have the gift – they find little things, need not be expensive, but so well suited to the people they gift them to – and here I struggle to even shop for myself when I travel! They had all these little thingies in their home too in Delhi. I prefer those styles to any interior designer designed house – so full of individualism and personality and memories!!

Hmmm, hey my “diary writing” has improved to better topics!! Well, that’s it for now. Until my next attempt, whenever that is.