If I ruled the world, the sequel

Teaching is the highest paid profession. Education is free. Health care is universal. Everyone can read. There is mobility between the classes. There is a cure for HIV. There is no such thing as cancer. People value the arts. We are all different colours. There is always parking. Some people get hurt. Some people are happy. Everybody is safe. There are no tobacco companies. All adults vote. There is no death penalty. Everyone retires at 60.. Children get to experience grandparents. People take chances. People make soft landings. Rape carries a life sentence. Imaginations run rampant. Women can walk home safely at night. Doors are left unlocked.

Forget about practicality, forget about reality, that is my dream world.

If I ruled the world...imagine that ;)

Minus the witch and flying monkeys

I'm waiting for my "technicolor moment". You know that moment when Dorothy wakes up after the tornado and opens the door and she's in full color munchkin land? And you wonder how you ever watched a movie in fully in grey? That kind of moment.

Lots of things weighing on my mind, I need figure out how to close that deal. I need to buy a couch for my office. I need to hire one more person, I need to buy another computer or two, need to find 10 more hours in each day and then actually use them.

Then there's the rest of it that's weighing on my heart, how long do I stay, do I renew the visa, do I leave it to chance, do I lay down the law, how much time is enough, how much is too much, what if I change my mind, & what if they don't.

And most importantly, why am I doing this?

ahhh, to see in colour, what a luxury that would be.

28: YiR

Its been ages since I've done this, 44 months to be exact. Not since this post in Dec 04.

When asked about the past year, the first thing I think of is that I feel like nothing has changed, that I'm still the same as is everything around me. Then the truth comes out.

I turned 28 in a magical place. Literally. A work conference in Disney World. I left 28 behind in Bombay (and as I recently told a friend) you can't get much further away from Disney World than Bandra. Word.

There is no contesting that 28 was a big year for me, promotion and move to India, love lost and found and lost again. All the things I thought would happen didn't, I can't help thinking that it could have and should have been a bigger year. But fortunately I don't believe in could haves and should haves.

I met some really great people, some that will continue to play a role in the next few years and others that have almost served their purpose in my life. I reconnected with people from the past, some that I didn't realize I were gone, and decided not to let them go again.

I was truly a nomad this year, I counted 4 separate bedrooms as home and as I write this many of my worldly possessions call a 5x5x5 storage unit in Harlem home.

I went home a record 4 times. For 7 or more days at a time. Who does that? and yet I somehow I still managed to miss my family more than ever before.

I got bangs (or fringe as we say in this country), twice. Maybe three times. But managed to keep my hair all one colour for the first full year in many. Might be my biggest achievement.

So I end this post with my hopes for 29. A copy and paste of my hopes for 2005, because although I'm moving forward, some things should stay the same.
- Stability. Living in one place, having my own stuff and my own space.
- Travelling. Having the means and desire to explore and visit.
- Working. Spending my days on tasks that I enjoy and challenge me.

What's making me happy right now...

Feeling the love. Finally having my name show up in a google news search (try it). The best tasting birthday cake ever. My new no pants rule. Being reminded of Vancouver everytime it rains. Disco rickshaws. Vonage. Late night gossip sessions with Amy. Electronic voicemails from my mom. Did I mentioned disco rickshaws ;). Daydreaming. The sound of contracts arriving. Knowing that the confusion will pass. Sleeping properly. Over the counter prescription medications. Not converting into dollars anymore. Real friends that are new. Real friends that are not so new.