Ushering in the New Year #blogchatter #prompt

I spent yesterday evening looking back on 2015, literally gone in a flash this year, and felt grateful for so many wonderful things that came my way..

Opportunity to Self-Publish my e-book

Opportunity to move abroad and explore a new city, new culture and embrace new beginnings.

Opportunity to appreciate time. Time spent at home, without a regular 9-5 job, struggling to find discipline in me.

Opportunity to Travel.

Opportunity to fuel my entrepreneurial passion.

Opportunity to write, interact with fellow authors and also host a book event.

Opportunity to understand relationships better. Relationships that truly matter.

Opportunity to re-define my blogging goals and with the help of a wonderful community and blog buddies, stay on track and blog regularly.

#SaturdayWordplay 12 - Aquiver

T'was in the teen years when,
aquiver at the prospect of
leading a new life,
with the man I thought I was in love.
I said Yes...

I shut my eyes, even as my ears bled,
to the fear gnawing at me from inside.
"This is not who you are"
"You ain't designed this way"
the voices many I shut out, suffocating
under my beautiful beaded white dress.

Away from Home

I'm on a journey, in life. A hippie in spirit, never wanting to settle down.

For someone like me, home isn't a place, but a feeling. I've grown up in different homes, shifting cities and schools, and houses, year after year. 6 Cities. 7 Schools. 8 Houses. One permanent home, my maternal grandparents' place, our humble summer vacations' abode. So, 7 Cities and 9 Houses.

Impermanence and Change.

This is the only constant in my life. Embracing it, learning from it, growing with it.

Perhaps, this is the reason why, that in my 9 months here in London, abroad, 'Away from Home' as they say, I have not missed home.

Getting chatty with @AlohaLolaCards #YOUInspire

So earlier this month, I attended the Bloggers Xmas party at Finch's Pub in Moorgate hosted by the lovely Soeurs De Luxe. It was a fun day making new friends, exploring different brands, gorging on chips, cupcakes and mulled cider, getting a little crazy with Christmas selfies and simply embracing my first such meet up in London.

Clockwise from L-R: With @YvesChild @afrochiq, Lovely cupcakes from @AromaCakeBoutiq, Having fun with selfies, a gift from @migliojewellery, lovely goodie bag from @SoeursdeLuxe, Fun Christmas messages.  

#SaturdayWordplay 11 - Parsimony

Your presence still lingers in the house. Although its been a week since you left, he still lives under your dominion, and despite all the troubles that I took to change that, I can't seem to cut the strings between you two. 


You were parsimonious with your love, making him yearn for it even more. To each kind word you said, to each harsh scowl you hurled at him - he clutched onto them tightly, fearing if he let go, he would lose you. 

The Books that Made You @blogchatter #booklove

Where do I start?

Books have been a part of my life since I can remember. Reading under the covers with a flashlight, hiding a novel with my school books and reading them slyly under the table, reading on the go during travels and vacations - that kid with glasses who people presumed to be a nerd but was in fact a dreamy-head living in her own made up world - that was me.

Growing up, summer vacations meant going to Lucknow to my grandparent's house where my aunt would gift all the cousins a book, every year. Anu mausi, if you are reading this, thank you, a million times over for introducing me to Enid Blyton, who sparked in me a life long love for adventures, story telling and reading.

Feeling Festive @WinterWonderLDN #PhotoFriday

For the last two weekends we had been planning to visit the Hyde Park Winter Wonderland, an annual German Christmas market and carnival in London. We finally did on a grey and damp Thursday evening. And what fun! From mulled wine, to hot chocolate, to German beer and waffles, music, games, bratwurst and what not - we soaked (literally too) in the festive spirit!

Cannot Do Without #blogchatter @blogchatter

Love.

The word,
the force,
the meaning it holds for me.

Love.

That lives within,
inspires hope,
stretches your limits.

#SaturdayWordplay 10 - Frisson

The more I dwell on the past, the more different beginnings I find of the same story.

But the end? There's no changing the end.

He lies here in my arms, his blood warming my thighs, his voice squirming with pain, my heart aching with delight. This is the end. The end that will never change.

But which beginning to choose?

What's Your Secret #blogchatter @blogchatter

What's your secret?

I ask.

Who are you?

What are you?