I am super happy and the reasons are three-fold.First is my guest para on Kalpak’s (The god of Humor) blog. And the intro that he gave for me was so sweet that I had happy tears, when I read it. Head over and read it here. The collection of guest paragraphs idea is too good and only Kalpak can come up with such weird yet mind-boggling ideas. Next is Viya, the bubbly architect; a big thank you to Viya for giving a place for me in her post. I am glad that I inspired her to quit FB and I am glad that we got to know each other 🙂 As she rightly said, if we are bound to each other, it will happen somehow, somewhere. And I am glad it happened for me. And finally, I have the guest post by Spaceman Spiff. *Drum Rolls* When I mailed her a month ago, asking for a guest post, I was nervous. Honestly! Because, up until I had not written guest posts for anyone, nor had I asked anyone to do a guest post on my blog. But, the sweetie that she is, Divya accepted the request and here it is!
I don’t think I need to introduce Divya, more popularly known as Spaceman Spiff, to the blogger world. Literally, more than half the blogosphere awaits her posts and I am proud to say that I am one of them. So, here I am presenting her Wonder Winter. Have you ever got beyond the struggling-to-wake-up phase on a winter morning? Have you ever experienced what is beyond that warm blanket of yours? Here, take a trip through her experience.
My phone shrieks out an obscure alarm tone.
Even in my half-asleep state, I manage to whine. I look at the time.
5:30 AM.
I press the snooze button and turn around and snuggle back in my blanket, sending a quick thank you up to the person who invented the concept of ‘snooze button’.
Twenty minutes later, I curse the person who came up with the idea of ‘Snooze time-out’. As if on auto-pilot, I press the snooze button again and dig deeper inside my blanket.
It rings again after 20 minutes. I switch it off this time.
I’m awake, but my body refuses to accept it. “Come on, wake up”, I tell it. “Effo*. It’s too cold to get up”, it replies. Even early in the morning, my body is capable of rebellion.
My mind and body finally come to an agreement by 6:15. I wake up, switch on the light, switch off the fan, go say a quick good morning to all the God uncles, and trudge to the washroom. Five minutes later, clad in a tee, three-fourths and sneakers, I open the door and breathe in the morning air. I quickly grab my jacket and set off for a walk.
The street is just waking up slowly. Kirana stores are opening up, they’ve started playing devotional songs in the temple; there are uncles and aunties and dogs out for their walk. I see newspaper-boys cycling around the colony wearing monkey caps and shawls. Some of the early-morning school-goers are waiting for their school buses, huge bags weighing down their backs. GHMC workers are sweeping the roads with those big brooms. I love the sound that it makes. Cars are being scrubbed, getting readied for the day’s drive.
I take in the calm and quiet of the early morning.
The air smells delicious. It’s so crisp, I could almost hear it crackle.
The slightly warm sunlight wonderfully compliments the crisp cold. I rub my palms together to warm them up and press it to my ice-cold nose. The tips of my fingers have turned red by now. I realize that I’ve been breathing a bit too deeply, for my nasal passage has started hurting, giving me a slight headache. I remember that two years back, around the same time, I had had a nose-bleeding incident at 12 in the night, when I was staying all alone, and I had freaked out. The memory urges me to tone down my breathing a bit.
I walk into the small park and do some stretching. An old uncle is jogging. I try to jog but am gasping for breath in two minutes. Some other uncles are doing yoga. Reminds me of Acha.
The sun is shining a bit more now. But it hasn’t managed to blot out the delicious cold. I can’t believe myself, that I had whined about waking up and experiencing this wonderful morning.
Hello Winter… welcome back. Have I told you how much I love you and how much I’ve missed you?
Thank you Divya, for bringing the winter cheer to my blog. Being a winter person myself, I was upset that winter is late in Hyderabad, this year. Anyway I am glad it finally came 🙂 What kind of person are you? Which season will make all jumpy and excited?
Until later 🙂
aaaaaaah…!!!!
there…!! it took me to a different world altogether..
a world where i see myself living a life blessed by the pleasant winter..
you know its my favourite season..!!
and spaceman has this amazing ability to make her readers connect to her thoughts with her words..!!
annnnnddd yussss….even i loved the intro which KP gave for you in his blog..:):)
cheers !!
^_^
@meoww: Yeah! you are right about Spaceman Spiff! And winter’s your favorite too? Wow 🙂
I love winter too! Mostly because I get to snuggle in my bed and sleep in late 😉 And of course piping hot coffee early in the morning!
Awesome post Divya!
p.s Keirthana, where in Hyd do you stay?
awww 🙂 ..even though i’m not a winter person at all, this post is making me yeeaarrn for that cold morning air… 🙂
Such a beeaauutiful post by SS 🙂 🙂 ..
Anddd you’re welcome 😉 😀 😀 ..
@Chandana: Hot Coffee on winter morning… Mmmmmmmmm! And I stay in Madhapur. Office is in Cyber Gateway (Hi Tech city). You?
By the way, Spiff and myself were just mailing each other discussing about our whereabouts. If you are also somewhere near, we all should meet 🙂
@Viya: Yeah right! Winter is awesome, you should experience it more 🙂 SS made it even more awesome with her post 🙂
wait! when are you guys meeting?!!! 😐 I wanna meet you all tooooo!!!!
and i’m still not a winter person.. i jus can’t bear the cold 🙁 :(.. 😐
@Viya: Ha ha 🙂 It is okay dear 🙂 I suggested that we meet sometime since we were discussing about our localities in Hyd 🙂 Sure, lets all meet when possible 🙂
aah.. apdiya? wokay! 😀 😀 ..
I’m available for biryani anytime, in case you guys want to meet up. 😛
And thank you all! 🙂 I absolutely love the winter, in spite of chapped lips, dry skin, perpetually-leaking noses etc.. Having lived in Kerala most of my life, I never knew what winter was until I came to Hyderabad. And now.. The winters and the biryani are the main reasons I don’t want to leave the place. 🙂
And thank you, Keirthana. 🙂 For this sooper oppurtunity.
It’s my pleasure, Spaceman Spiff!
I live at the other end of the city! I used to travel till Hi-tech everyday when I worked there, then I switched jobs to somewhere nearby. But yes we should definitely meet up!!! 🙂
I`m on the opposite end of the spectrum, forgot what the Indian winter was like after moving to Chennai which if you must know has only two seasons, Crazy Hot and Not so crazy Hot.
Painted a clear and colorful picture of a typical winter morning sans the hot coffee/tea.
@Atrocious Scribblings: Chennai huh? *Smug smile* Been there for 3 months and I very well know about the city. I prefer to stay in some place that takes light years to travel home than to be in Chennai which is nearer. Poor you! One of my earnest prayers to the Almighty is that I should never be punished with a life in Chennai or a place that only knows heat.
I love this post! Talks about everyday things so beautifully. That’s my favourite kind of writing. Simple things, profoundly communicated.
I miss Hyderabad so badly. I wish I was still there and I could meet you guys. Bangalore is nice, but Hyderabad – I miss!!! Perhaps the next time I’m there I will get to meet up with some of you.
Keirthana, I started my career in Cyber Gateway. That’s the place I first laid eyes on my husband. Of course I had no idea then. The place has a lot of bitter and sweet memories for me.
Came over from Spiff’s blog 🙂 The post reminded me of the wonderful winters in Ooty and Dehra Dun, where I spent a few years of my childhood- I remember playing Scrabble with my parents, in the lawns, under the warmth of the mild winter sunshine- aah bliss indeed!
P.S Keirthana, I just read through some of your older posts- I think you’ve got a wonderful blog running 😀
@Sumitra: Kinda knew that this is your preferred kind of writing! I could sense it from your blog. Every time I read a post of yours, I would wonder how you managed to present simple things with utmost elegance 🙂
And yeah, Hyderabad is great. I never believed that I would love this city to this extent when I first stepped into it,a year ago. Fear in my eyes, hesitance in my heart and reluctance in my decision – that was what I had. But now, I wish I could stay here forever, but sadly my situations force me to seek a re-location to Bangalore. Hence, trying for a transfer. Will be out of this city in a few months, I guess. So, I decided to enjoy every moment here 🙂
And Cyber Gateway! Wow! From now on, each time I pass that archway of your company, I will remember you 🙂
@KrishnaSruthi: Ooty and Dehra Dun? Awww.. Blissful weather 🙂 And thanks yaar 🙂 It is you readers, who motivate people like me to write better 🙂
She is so articulate, her words make us *feel* the emotion she portrays. That’s the mark of a great writer like nothing else is:)
@PeeVee: That is so true 🙂
The blankets, the cold mornings…winter! I just love it. I am totally a winter person, and that’s one thing I miss here in Kerala. You brought back some really fond memories Spiff 🙂
And thanks Keirthana, for getting her to write this. 🙂
🙂 It’s a blogger’s pleasure to get someone like Spaceman Spiff to write in one’s blog 🙂