Corporate Blues: Uncomfortable truths

 

Dear God

Sample this:

Wearing a new dress, you approach your office. Everyone who is standing there turns their head in your direction. Suddenly one of them says:

Waah madam aaj to kya lag rhi ho aap

All this while scanning you from head to toe.

Then this:

You are unmarried and this fact is well known in your office. Yet you get invites official or otherwise where there is a clear mention of a certain Mrs. ‘Yours truly’. Hash!! Man give me a break.

And then this:

You get random messages from people in your office citing invitations for dinner, coffee, outings etc. All this when you have not shown any interest in the person concerned all this while. Time and again you clarify that you are least interested in talking or even getting to know this person.

And the one which takes the cake is:

Bacche krne ki umr nikli ja rhi hai tumhari. Jaldi karo warna budha jaogi to koi fayda nahin hoga.

You put up a fight on so many fronts in life and one of them is work. When you step out of your home, sweet home you fight not one but many battles in the giant war against the world. One of the battles is proving you alone are enough to face the world and represent you. Being unmarried is a personal choice and yet in your professional life it becomes a war of two worlds: one prim proper, husband, children wala and the other visits to vets, hometown, trips and living alone wala.

Please admit that you envy my life and you want to be free too. Not this sly undermining of my situation, backhanded compliments and tirchchi nazariya on my car, my driving, my new clothes, accessories and so on….

My Crackheads family: Home away from home

Dear God

Sample this:

हम टुटेसिरों की राम राम। क्या है कि रोज़ सुबह हमको जो Gud Morning प्राप्त होते हैं.. बड़े boring हैं इसलिए अब हमारा वाला Gud Morning देख लीजिए। Style पिंकी aka गुलबिया का है हम पूरी बेशर्मी के साथ कॉपी किए हैं

Gud Morning message:

शुभ सुबह💜😘👻🤪🙈🤩😘🤔🙄🤨😛🤓🤨😚🤨🙂😗😏🥳😗😜🤩🥳😏😒😠😶‍🌫😤😡😶‍🌫😖😥🤥🤭🤬😱🤭😧😐😦😓😐


इसका जवाब:

एक purple दिल था जिसको चुम्मी मिली फिर वो भूत और पागल बन गया और शर्मा भी गया। उसकी आँखों मे तारे चमकने लगे फिर चुम्मी मिली। वो सोचने लगा और फिर irritate हुआ फिर भूत की ओर प्रश्नवाचक निगाह से देखा। भूत ने इंसानी रूप लेकर जीभ चिढ़ा दिया। फिर उसको चस्मा लग गया फिर प्रश्नवाचक निगाह फिर सीटी फिर प्रश्नवाचक। भूत सीधा ही स्माइल किया फिर smirk, सीटी फिर party फिर सीटी फिर आंख मारा ( छिछोरे!) फिर आंखों में तारे फिर party फिर smirk फिर राशि वाला expression फिर गुस्सा। अब चांद छुपा बादल में। बैल वाला गुस्सा, लाल मुंह वाला तेज़ गुस्सा, फिर छुपा nervous हुआ झूठा फिर हंसा गाली दिया ( गन्दा लड़का हुंह) haai raam फिर हंसा बेशरम फिर डर गया फिर शिवि का प्रेम फिर डरा, nervous हुआ फिर शिवि वाला फिर उसका दिमाग उड़ गया फिर nervous हुआ और किसी से न कहना

And this:

Who is Vimla? Mystery resolved:

 

Now you are going to think, what madness is this? This is The Crackheads for you… one most random mix of people who came together and became friends for life 😊.

One unbreakable bond of selfless love and care…and communication. The most random words which mean gibberish to you but to us they matter the most. Okay let’s begin from the beginning:

We started with fanmily: Ankiyans* and Animaz* and then became friends forever to each other. We have all been through difficult times and yet here we are. Sometimes I think of the journey we have all covered throughout our lives and now with each other. The incredible stories we have shared with each other are all tales of love, loss, suffering and then learning to love yourself all over again. When I think of how far we have come, I can only wonder at the progress, their growth and the way they now handle life. 

We are all so damaged and this friendship is like a gentle breeze in the face of our open wounds. There have been so many days when we have laughed, cried, shared, cared and then compared battle wounds too.

Life albeit difficult has become a joyride and a promise of endless love. I wish we all are there with each other throughout this journey called life.

The most interesting thing about Crackheads is Now we have two very special members in it. In my wildest dreams I had never imagined that one day Anku and Garima would be a part of Crackheads - that was the day I literally cried tears of joy. 

With you Crackiz, every day is a blessing.

Saranghae, Borahae, Always

*Ankiyans : Fans of Anku Thakur - Writer on Pratilipi App and now with two books Who Are You and You and Me - A beautiful Journey available on Amazon. 

Also available audio books on Kuku FM 

* Animaz : Fans of Anku and Garima Singh Both writers on Pratilipi App. Garima's stories are currently available on Pratilipi. 

 

Corporate Blues: Appreciations Galore

 

Dear God

Sample this:

One sweet voice, beautiful appearance and carefully chosen outfit. People in awe of the way you are, praising, admiring, clearing your way, handling your obstacles and loving you with all their hearts, sharing and caring and endless conversations. Suddenly being appreciated for all that you are and all that you do.

At times, I wonder am I the same person or is this some alternate universe where I stepped in? How could I be so good when I have been considered so bad… worse even. I can’t forget that last year I experienced the biggest setback in my career and personal life. And yet here I am!!!

Where the hell was this fighting spirit all this while? I could have had this positivity earlier also na, God? Why now, and how? If I get to know, I would be able to help people who are feeling not so positive in their life. Is it really all there in the mind only? Or is there something the world has to do? What was it that made it difficult for me to even get out of bed? What is it that now helps me wake up with a smile on my face and twinkle in my eyes.

Its not like my difficult days have disappeared altogether. I still go through tough times. Yet somehow in my heart I know this is not going to last forever. There is a light at the end of the tunnel.

When I think of that time now, it seems so far away …. All that has been wiped from my mind as if it never existed. Yet in the back of my mind I know, that phase was there… It was a time when nothing worked. Today it seems as if everything is just working for me.

One thing which held me through all this is a bunch of friends – The Crackheads. Crackheads deserve an article of their own. The way they took me through these difficult times, constantly appreciating, helping, making jokes, holding hands, going through difficult times together. We have a long way to go and:

I am no longer alone.

Auf Weidersehen my furry friend

Dear Fruity

Meri fruita my baby, my jaan – whoever owns a furry friend would probably understand what I am going through. Those who don’t – just think of someone dear to you, aged around 3 years old and with all the innocence in the world. Someone whose loyalty is absolute and intention so pure.

Think of someone who will act like the universe revolves around you and that you are the Sun and they the earth. Think of love so pure, it will melt the hardest of hearts. Think of companionship, think of acceptance and absolute honesty. Think of childish questions and being happy in the smallest little things. Think if the words ‘Always there for you’ had a face and name it would be your furball, your dog, your adorable goofy kid. Yes kid! Being a dog parent is nothing short of being parent.

What happened yesterday is every pet owner’s horrible nightmare yet when it comes true…. I would not wish this upon anyone at all.  I am going back in time when I used to have Duffy my mix bred…. First dog in the family.

And now we lost you to reasons unknown. Fruity my lovely child please come back in the form of another furball I can love and cherish. Thank you for the time, love and attention you gave me. Thankyou for the love, care and happiness I experienced with you my baby. Moreover, thanks for all the small goofy silly puppies you gave birth to one of whom is Chiku.

Now I miss him more than ever, wish I was with him now. Will get him here soon in front of my eyes and I promise one thing to you –

In future I will try to spend as much time as possible with both Winky and Chiku. I know their time on earth is so... so… brief but it is up to me to make the most of it. To fill these days with beautiful memories and absolute love. The same love that they offer I can return in teeny tiny proportions.

And when the time comes for the rainbow bridge – I will wait till we meet again.

Love you

*Auf Weidersehen - See you again (In German)

Corporate Blues: Picking up the pieces

 Dear God 

So sometimes you accept your fate and move on!! Moving on from my previous predicament I ended up here... away from both my janmbhoomi and karmbhoomi. Everything just fell in place like the missing pieces of a puzzle coming together and now.... 

Within a very short time I have my place in the corporate world. My lost months taught me so many lessons... lessons I will always remember. 

Picking up the pieces of my situation, landing in this land unknown, making new friends and missing my fur babies like hell.

How does this happen God? How do I cope? Earlier when I moved, I had nothing but only bags to carry. Now I will have to pick up my whole grihasthi on my head and Heave Ho!! To this land of fish curry and rice.

Moving on is difficult as it is and now I have loss of people to cope too. I lost Sunita Aunty to an unknown illness yesterday. I just could not bear the thought that I will never see that smiling face again…. She will not call me Gudiya again and once again I am left in a void which will remain forever.

8 years have passed since I knew her and now….

Now I am here in an unknown land. I have a fresh set of predicaments to go through now. Hostel life is not very bad but here its total hell. The filth, the dirt, the mismanagement…

And when I want to attract the attention of the management towards it, the result of my efforts to improve the system haunt me. All I know is I can’t continue in this situation for long…

The recovery is well within my reach though!! Things will soon fall in place.

No room for self doubt

Dearest God

So my past life crimes have caught up to me...and that perhaps is the reason for all my predicament. Hmm...I see. Is it really that simple God? One life going so well no matter what they do ..and one down in the gutters. Only because of the past life. What happened to bygones be bygones? Or perhaps giving every single soul a chance to repent and reform. No such chance...eh. So only because of my past life I am suffering in this one? If this rings true, does it mean I have to stop all efforts to overcome my troubles. Give up the struggle and just passively face whatever fresh hell is in store for me? Or does it mean rely on fate with folded hands and just hope that everything will eventually be better as soon as the past is avenged!

No God, a big fat and firm NO!!!!!

Any karma good or bad should be avenged in the same life itself; no matter how grave the crime is. Nah? Otherwise I might lose interest in doing good…

My book of deeds is full of selfless acts and yet time and again I suffer!!

And then I think! ‘To each their own’ Even though my life is difficult and full of struggles, I am here for giving it my best shot. So many people do not have what I do. Ergo more power to me and You too.

You know what? I don’t care what my past life was, I have this one and it is enough. No matter why I am suffering today, I am sure I will make things better by my constant efforts. Till date, only my hard work kept me afloat and even now, it is this which will help me sail through.

I know I am taking a very big risk by doing this God. This risk though, is better than doing nothing.

This past life thing is nothing but a lame excuse per say. For those who are too tired or lazy to change their life. For those who are powerless and cannot stop people from taking opportunities to exploit their power, position, money etc.

So no matter what everyone says or does, I am here putting in my best efforts. Coz God, I have no room for self doubt. Absolutely none.

Coz like me, some people have to carve ways out of hell holes entirely on their own. 

# Cheap Thrills

 Dear God 

Sample this:

Scene 1 : A woman about to get engaged, a punjabi sad song playing in the background and suddenly the dame in question runs to the open arms of her ex standing right in front of her. 

Scene 2: A jethani with questionable motives and epic planning wishes to prevent her devrani from taking an exam (!).

Scene 3: A reality show where the judges are jumping like circus clowns doing antics well beneath their stature and dignity to show how the performances are extraordinary and never seen before. 

So much for creative direction... gone are the legendary shows like Swabhimaan and Shanti which gave us goosebumps with their plot twists. Gone are the technically sound Sa re ga ma and Boogie Woogie. Today's plot twists range from unplanned marriages to second marriages to forced marriages to bitter marriages to fake marriages...basically marriages. What are we trying to portray on prime time TV? ..That women are objects which can be bartered, exchanged, sold, manipulated or if all else fails sacrificed in the name of family honor. These are not the realities I want to see..these are not the values that should be visualized. Also the stereotypical career oriented modern woman with the heavy makeup and the arched eyebrows who just wants to snatch the man in question or get ahead in her career at the cost of her dignity and ethics?

Is it just me who slogged my a** off for years to get this job and worked day and night to secure a promotion? Why didn't I do it the way that is being slowly normalized by showing it on Prime Time TV? Snatch someone's influential husband and manipulate my way to the top! You know why? Because it is not normal. In the real world, career women also are full time mothers and they do full justice to their responsibilities. In the real world, women are proving their mettle at challenging and difficult jobs and get to go home to their monogamous husbands. In the real world, we don't have unhappy twisted marriages for all the wrong reasons. 

The real world is so different from these fake universes where everything just revolves around the kitchen. Actually it does not. Real life is filled of happy experiences and much love. There are some setbacks and difficulties that are part of life but I assure you, most of them do not revolve around snatching husbands, scheming in kitchens or manipulating simpletons into forced marriages. 

PS: The online content is so much better btw.