Winter sights

When we are not shivering and cursing the cold, when we are not wrapped up to our eyes or not nestled inside our apartments with the blinds pulled over.. but sitting comfortably by the window side in a cozy cafe sipping warm apple cider, munching warm toasted sandwich and gazing outside, winter sights are a rare treat and a time for some idle contemplation if you are completely by yourself..

I looked out of the window, taking note of how the terrain had changed from the version I had in mind from a similar day back in July. Its all brown and frozen now, there aren't the energetic folks doing a quick lap in the lunch hour. Back then it was like 15 days for me in this city and now its almost 7 months here but I am still an outsider-someone who gets chauffeured around but left to his own resources would probably sit down and cry at an intersection baffled and confused. But I like to think that there is still hope for me and they call it GPS!

Well coming back to the topic, I was about to describe winter only sights in this blog. So here it goes, looking outside of the window, I noticed some dry winter leaves skating on the surface of the frozen pond, playfully skidding from one end to the other. The wind would toss them on the pond and then they would be dancing on the ice trying to keep their balance. As a child I always wondered how cold would it have to get for the Naini lake to freeze completely so that we kids could just skate on it. Somehow that was my idea of super-fun. (why???)

Digressing again, When do you feel at home in a city, how long does it take?
Perhaps it depends on how you define the feeling of home.. but at the most basic level it is about comfort and familiarity. And at times its about the ability to handle the occasional curveball that comes your way. The feeling of Home springs out of strong association with-people, food, places, sports, cultural events, activities... just a myriad of things that make you warm and fuzzy inside. And it sure takes time to create those associations afresh in a new place where everyone has a different set of priorities.

Lets modify the question to a achievable level- when do you 'kind' of know a place, how long does it take?
I guess you begin to know a place when you have your personal list of favorite things in the city and you have a couple of things in your to-explore list..
Top three Kolkata picks: Ferry ride on the Ganges(super cheap/no traffic/lots of munchies at hand/peaceful), College street  and 'puchka & rosgulla' place in the neighborhood..
Top three Hyderabad picks: Go-kart track, all the Firangi Pani(s) and just the best coffee place by the secret turn somewhere in the Jubilee hills..
Memphis: ...............................................................(I really need to push myself....)

Again coming back to the topic I was about to describe another winter sight. You drive in your car and just a handful of light, fluffy and lazy snowflakes nestled cozily in the ridge of the windscreen wipers begin to fly off in the wind or to put it more poetically I'd say-begin to waltz in the wind!
Its a beautiful sight to watch snow falling, when its just waltzing around before silently settling down.As a child I used to keep peeking with anticipation through partially opened doors and windows when it became all numb and quite outside. The cold snow always filled my heart with warmth for my hometown, and even today I rejoice inwardly when the first snow covers the hills back home..
For me, looking at the emerald lake flanked by snow capped  Naini hills while sitting next to a warm 'saghad'-fire is the best winter sight and my version of 'home'...

photo credits: A fellow Nainitalian(i can't recall where I found this picture and saved it to my Naini folder)

One day at a time

With half closed eyes I look at you, only I don't look at you. I am distracted by the rotating disc of changing colors playing on the wall behind you. The changing colors are assaulting my tired senses but still I can't tear away my gaze. My peripheral vision can still sense the distracting colors and I am only too conscious of their presence..

With half tilted head, I strain my ears to listen to you, only I am not listening to you. I am ill at ease trying to identify the song playing in the bar, somewhere in the background of all the loud chatter and your talking. I have heard the song but the words elude me now and I am tormented by my inability to put my finger down on the song before it ends and gets lost in the noise..

With half curled lips, I smile at you to acknowledge your presence, only I am not there and I am searching for someone who is not there as well. I am thinking of my cluttered closet, pile of unopened documents, my laptop that shuts and restarts at its whim on my face. I am all over the place and nowhere really..

I wonder if you can see through me or you are preoccupied by your own self. You mostly look enchanted by the sound and wisdom of your own prosaic words. You are trying to tell me about life and decisions and all things big but you are all over the place and nowhere really..

"Hush..
One day at a time.. Breath in..breathe out..One day at a time.
Its a good thought when the entire year is staring ahead-one day at a time.."

You look at me quizzically, perhaps I wrecked your chain of thought with my sudden moment of clarity but I had nothing more to add. I sat through the rest of the evening listening to you speak to yourself. When we were through and I walked up to my car, with a slight winter chill running through my spine, I smiled to myself  'one evening at a time' and then we can all go home...